An Easy-to-Make Meal Perfect for Mother's Day

Since Mother's Day is a day when mom is celebrated and pampered, it would be counter-intuitive to expect her to cook. On the other hand, putting too much burden on the other members of the family (dad and the kids) would also be ill-advised.

There is the classic New Yorker's solution of serving lox, bagels, and cream cheese or avoiding cooking entirely by visiting a restaurant, but a home cooked meal makes such a personal statement. The key is to prepare a simple meal so you don't spend more time in the kitchen than with her. That and flowers tells her, "I love you."

Arugula Salad with Hazelnuts, Carrots, Avocado, and Croutons

1 bunch arugula, washed, stems removed, leaves torn into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup raw hazelnuts
1 carrot, washed, peeled, cut into thin rounds
1 avocado, peeled, pit removed, roughly chopped
1/4 cup croutons
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and pepper

On a low flame reduce the balsamic vinegar to 1 tablespoon. Set aside to cool. Roast the hazelnuts in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, shaking the pan every 5 minutes to cook evenly. Remove, put into a dish cloth, rub roughly to remove the skins, let cool, and crush with the side of a chefs knife.

Put the arugula, hazelnuts, carrot rounds, croutons, and avocado into a salad bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and reduced balsamic vinegar. Season with sea salt and pepper. Toss and serve

Serves 4. Preparation Time: 10 minutes. Cooking Time: 20 minutes.

Chicken Breasts Sautéed with Spinach

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, washed, dried
1 bunch spinach, washed thoroughly to remove all the grit, dried, stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled, finely chopped
1 shallot, peeled, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sweet butter
1/4 cup water, chicken stock, or white wine
Olive oil
Sea salt and pepper

Use one frying pan to cut down on clean up. Sauté the garlic and shallot until softened--about 2 minutes--add the chicken breasts and sauté until lightly browned on both sides, then remove and cover with aluminum foil. Sauté the spinach until wilted, then remove. Deglaze the pan with the liquid. Add the butter. Season with sea salt and pepper. Reduce the liquid by half, then add back the chicken breasts and coat with the sauce. Remove the breasts and cover to keep warm. Put the spinach back in the pan and mix well with the sauce. Slide the spinach onto the serving plate. Slice the chicken and arrange on top of the spinach.

Serves 4. Preparation Time: 10 minutes. Cooking Time: 15 minutes.

For the dessert I'd suggest my mom's favorite: Banana Cake With Chocolate Chips and Almonds. The recipe is on the New York Times Dining. The cake can be made the day ahead. Before serving, bring to room temperature and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Eggsellent – A One-Egg Omelet That’s All About Flavor

For Zesterdaily last January, I wrote about beginning the new year with an easy-to-make, good tasting dish that is healthy and all about flavor. After making the omelets through out last year, I think it's a great way to begin 2014.

A new year with new resolves for personal improvement is the best of times and the worst of times. At the top of many people’s resolutions is eating sensibly with an asterisk to give up everything that tastes good. To eat well doesn’t mean denying yourself pleasures. In fact, consider the gastronomic advantages of a one-egg omelet.

Three, two, one

A neighborhood restaurant we frequented for many years proudly publicized their three-egg omelet. The omelet was a plump 2-inches thick and settled on the plate like a seal sunning itself on a wave-washed rock.

More from Zester Daily:

» Whip up an Italian frittata

» In search of good eggs

» Don't be afraid of a raw egg

» Get adventurous with Scotch eggs

After eating their three-egg omelet, I always felt like going back to bed.

Having consumed many omelets over many years, the realization hit me that what I like about an omelet isn’t the eggs. What I like is the filling.

At home I experimented. What I was looking for was a ratio of bulk: flavor that pleased my palate and wasn’t overly filling. Three eggs were never considered, and eventually two eggs gave way to one. Another significant milestone was switching from a stainless steel pan to the more forgiving qualities of a nonstick pan.

Thin one-egg omelet is a reminder of delicate crêpes

One egg creates texture not bulk and places the emphasis solidly on the filling. Just about anything sautéed, roasted or grilled can find itself tucked into the confines of an eggy bed.

Whatever the mix of ingredients, the key to a good omelet is creating a warm creaminess of melted cheese.

The combinations are limited only by your palate preferences. The salty-sweetness of sautéed ham, Comte cheese, spinach, shallots and shiitake mushrooms complement the pliancy of the egg. Grilledasparagus and Parmesan cheese, dusted with finely chopped Italian parsley leaves makes an elegant omelet perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Shredded lobster, Manchego cheese, cilantro, raw red onions, a dusting of cayenne and a small amount of finely chopped ripe tomatoes transform an ordinary egg into a culinary adventure.

Adding country-fried potatoes, buttered toast with jam and crisp bacon, a tossed green salad or a bowl of fresh fruit to fill out the plate and the one-egg omelet creates an enviable meal, heavy on flavor and careful about calories.

One-Egg Omelet With Spinach, Comte Cheese, Shallots and Shiitake Mushrooms

Use any cheese of your liking. I prefer a cheese that plays well with others. Strong cheeses, such as blue cheese, will dominate the other flavors in the filling. Mild cheddar, Comte, Manchego and soft goat cheese work well.

The recipe is for one, because making each omelet individually will result in the best looking dish. If you are serving more than one, multiply the number of diners times the ingredient quantities for the filling to create the correct amount needed to make all the omelets.

Use a 9-inch nonstick pan, understanding that nonstick pans are designed to be used on low heat. Because an excessive amount of fat is not required to prevent the egg from sticking to the pan, the butter is used for flavoring. Could the omelet cook on a nonstick pan without the butter? Yes, perhaps as serviceably, but that little bit of butter adds a lot of flavor.

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 teaspoons sweet butter

2 cups spinach leaves and stems, washed, pat dried, chopped

1 shallot, washed, ends and skin removed, finely chopped

½ cup or 2-3 shiitake mushrooms, washed, root ends trimmed, finely sliced longwise

1 farm-fresh egg, large or extra large

1 tablespoon cream, half and half, whole milk or nonfat milk

⅓ cup freshly grated cheese, preferably white cheddar, Comte, Manchego or goat

Pinch of cayenne (optional)

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In the nonstick pan, melt 1 teaspoon butter and sauté together the spinach, shallot and shiitake mushrooms until wilted and lightly browned. Season to taste with sea salt, freshly ground pepper and cayenne (optional). Use a high-heat or Silpat spatula to remove the sauté from the pan and set aside.

2. Beat together the 1 egg and milk until frothy.

3. On a medium-low flame, heat the nonstick pan, melt the remaining teaspoon butter and pour in the egg-milk mixture using the spatula to get every drop into the pan.

4. Swirl the egg mixture around to coat the bottom of the pan so it looks like a full moon.

5. Gently sprinkle the cheese on one half of the omelet — the half moon with the filling –and spoon on the sauté to cover the cheese.

6. When the cheese has melted and the egg is cooked the way you like, use the Silpat spatula to gently flip the empty side of the half moon on top of the filling.

7. Use the Silpat spatula to help slide the omelet onto the plate and serve hot.

Teff Porridge

At some point in the not-so-recent past, I picked up some teff from some natural grocery store, thinking either of its health benefits or of the tasty injera I had tried at an Ethiopian restaurant.  After a failed attempt at injera, this tiny grain sat around in my cupboard for years (yes, years).

At last its time had come, and lucky for me this recipe turned out much better than the one I had tried for injera.  I didn't expect a whole lot, but it was absolutely delicious and a great change from oats!  Two batches and I am out of teff, but I'm guessing I won't be for long ;)

Teff Porridge
adapted from Serious Eats
Serves 2

3c water
1/2t kosher salt
1c whole grain teff
1/2t ground cinnamon
1/2t ground cardamom
1T unsalted butter
3T maple syrup

Bring water and salt to a boil over medium heat.  Pour in the remaining ingredients and stir well (you'll feel the teff trying to stick to the bottom of the pan).

Turn down the heat to meidum low and let the porridge simmer until it has thickened, stirring occasionally, ~10min.

Cook until the porridge has thickened and teff is tender without being mushy.  Remove from heat and top as desired.

Have you ever cooked with teff or teff flour?

Chocolate POM Pancakes

There's something about the warmth of your blankets in the morning and the prospect of putting my feet on the cold wooden floor that makes me want to stay in bed indefinitely.  When my stomach starts grumbling, these pancakes are worth jumping out of bed for!

To keep these suitable for breakfast, I kept the pancakes batter not too sweet and added in just enough chocolate chips to make each bite was filled with melty chips and crunchy pomegranate seeds.  Treat yourself this weekend and make a batch, I know I will be :)

Chocolate Pomegranate Pancakes
adapted from Lauren (these are my favorite variety)
Serves: 2

1c minus 2T whole wheat pastry flour (or white whole wheat or AP flour)
2T cocoa powder (I used this kind)
1t evaporated cane juice (or more if desired)
1t baking powder
1/2t baking soda
1/2t cinnamon
pinch of salt
1c buttermilk
1 egg
1t vanilla
1/4c semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for garnish
3/4c pomegranate arils, plus more for garnish

In a large measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg and vanilla.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, add dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Whisk well to combine.  Add chocolate chips and pomegranate arils and gently toss to coat.  Pour in buttermilk mixture and stir until just combined.

Heat a large nonstick griddle over medium low heat.  Coat with cooking spray if you need to (mine works well even without) and once hot, use a 1/4-cup measure to spoon out pancake batter.  Cook a 2-3 minutes, until you start to see bubbles on the surface.  Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Serve, topped with extra pomegranate seeds and chocolate chips.

What will you be cooking up this weekend??

A Waist Watching, Delicious One-Egg Omelet

As with many good things, a cherished recipe resulted from an accident.

My wife wanted an omelet for breakfast and we had only one egg in the refrigerator. That egg was an especially good, farmers' market egg, but it did not have a companion and my wife was used to having a two-egg omelet.

Many solutions came to mind.

Go to the market to buy more. That seemed like too much trouble with a cup of coffee already brewed and waiting on the dining room table next to the Sunday New York Times. Use a lot of milk as "filler." But the resulting omelet would have been more like a custard than what my wife likes, a very firm cooked egg.

So, I did the only thing any guy would do in the circumstances. I punted.

If I was short an egg, well, I'd compensate with a lot more filling, hoping my wife would be distracted by all the goodies so she wouldn't notice the paucity of "egg."

Her favorite filling consisted of sautéed spinach, shiitake mushrooms, shallots and Comte cheese. Low and behold, as my mother would have said, what appeared to be a limitation became an asset.

Using one egg created an omelet that shared many qualities with the French crepe. The omelet was thin, crispy along the edges and, most importantly, had traded bulk for flavor.

Voila!

My wife loved her one-egg omelet so much, the dish is now a standard feature of our Sunday morning brunch. For Zesterdaily I wrote up the recipe and a more complete description.

Please take a look and let me know what you think: Eggsellent - A One-Egg Omelet That's All About Flavor.

When It's Too Hot to Cook, Omelets are a Cook's Best Friend

My mother used to say that omelets weren't just for the morning. She turned a breakfast favorite into an entree by putting sautéed savories into the fillings that added unexpected flavor.

For Zester Daily, I wrote about some favorite ways to make omelets that are as good for lunch and dinner as for breakfast.

Strawberry Basil Scones

It's tea time for this month's 5 Star Foodie Makeover!

hosted by 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro Cooks!

When I heard plans for our virtual British afternoon tea, I immediately thought of strawberries and cream.  I know, I know, more Wimbledon than tea party, but I couldn't shake the idea and decided to morph it into something you would normally see at a tea party...  scones!

My incarnation of strawberries and cream turned into a strawberry basil scone served with coconut cream.  Dehydrating the berries a bit helped prevent adding alot of extra moisture to the scones.  They were quite delicious, especially served alongside some tea, however I realized that I don't have any "proper" tea cups!  Please excuse the oversize mugs that I'm partial to :)

Strawberry Basil Scones w/Coconut Cream
scones adapted from A Cozy Kitchen, coconut cream from Cook's Illustrated (found here)
yield:  6 scones

If you have a chance, put your coconut milk in the fridge the day or two before you're planning on making the scones, it will help solidify the cream of coconut!

For the scones:
8 medium strawberries, quartered
1c flour (I used a mix of white whole wheat, oat and cake flour*)
1 1/2t baking powder
1 1/2T evaporated cane juice (or granulated sugar)
1/4t fine sea salt
2 1/2T unsalted butter, cold  (could use Earth Balance to make these completely dairy-free)
6 medium basil leaves
1/2c coconut milk (full fat, or heavy cream), plus a little extra

For the coconut cream:
1 can full fat coconut milk
1 1/2t evaporated cane juice (or granulated sugar)
1/2t vanilla extract
pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 200deg.

Place strawberries on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Bake the strawberries for 45min-1hr, until they are slightly dehydrated.  Set aside to cool.

Turn the oven to 425deg.  Place a mixing bowl and beaters into the freezer.

In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.  Whisk together.  Grate in butter and using your hands, quickly work the butter into the flour until it resembles a coarse meal.  Chiffonade basil leaves (roll into a cigar and slice, creating ribbons) and add them to the flour/butter mixture along with the strawberries.  Gently combine and then pour in coconut milk and mix until the dough begins to form, ~30sec.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand just until it comes together into a rough, slightly sticky ball, 5-10sec.  Pat dough into a 1" thick circle and cut into 6 wedges  (or 4 or 8, if you prefer).  Put scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Brush with coconut milk and then bake 12-15min, until scones are light brown.

While the scones are baking, remove the can of coconut milk from the fridge and the bowl/beaters from the freezer.  Using a spoon, take off the top layer of cream that should have formed (reminded me of shortening) and add it to the bowl.  Add in the sugar, vanilla and pinch of salt.  Beat on low speed until small bubbles form, ~30sec.  Increase the speed to high and beat until the cream thickens and light peaks form, ~2min. Refrigerate until your scones are done cooling.

Once the scones are done, transfer them to a wire rack for at least 10min to cool before serving with coconut cream.

*Yes, I need to go to the store!


Have you ever been to an afternoon tea?  What's your favorite treat?

Peach Vanilla Jam

Every time I think about peaches a certain song immediately pops into my head and usually stays for too long.  Who can complain when you're biting into a ripe, juicy peach though ;)

I'm going to can some peach jam this year, but this was actually made last year at the very end of peach season so you get this one first!  The skins were left on to add some fiber and texture, but feel free to peel your peaches (after a quick dip in boiling water) if you so desire.

Peach Vanilla Freezer Jam
adapted from Confessions of a Tart
yield:  3 jars

This jam is perfect on a biscuit, cheese platter, almond butter & jelly sandwich, stirred into yogurt...  you get the idea!

5 1/2c thinly sliced peaches  (peeled if you prefer)
1/2-3/4c packed brown sugara
juice of 1 lemon
1/2t vanilla extract
1/4t almond extract
seeds scraped from 3 vanilla beans

Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours (or overnight).

Transfer fruit to a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and heat to medium high.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and gently simmer for 15-20min or more until jam has thickened.  Try the nudge test with a chilled plate to test if it's done.

If you want a chunky jam, you're done!  If you'd like a smoother jam, transfer (all or a portion) into a blender and process until it has reached your desired consistency.  Spoon into jar and freeze (for quite a few months) or refrigerate (for a few weeks).


Now, who's got a killer recipe for peach pie??

Poppyseed Bread

Over the years, I've been doing my best to learn some of the foods I grew up eating with the Polish side of my family; things like potato pierogies, babka, nut bread and our christmas barszcz.  One of the recipes that has evaded me was Poppyseed Bread (or roll).

By now you've probably figured out that it didn't evade me this year ;)  With some translation help from Magda, I made a poppyseed bread that would've made anyone fail their drug test!  Actually, I have no idea if it would or not, but we all kept going back for more so I can only imagine.

Poppyseed Bread
from my Babka recipe & Moje Wypieki
Yield:  2-3 loaves

For the bread:
1c milk
1/2c butter
1/2c sugar plus scant 1T, divided
1t salt
2 pkg yeast
1/2c warm water
4-6c AP flour
1t grated or dried lemon peel
2 eggs, beaten

For the filling:
500g poppyseeds
250g sugar (or a little less)
100g raisins
50g chopped walnuts
1T honey
almond extract, a few drops
cinnamon, as much as you like (I'm always generous)
1T butter, softened
6 egg whites  (save the yolks for an egg wash)

Combine butter, milk, 1/2c sugar and salt in a small pot and turn on heat on low.  Once the butter has melted and sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm.

Once the butter/milk mixture has cooled, add warm water to a small bowl and sprinkle with yeast and scant tablespoon of sugar.  Let stand 5-10min, until bubbly.

In the bowl of a stand mixture, add cooled butter/milk mixture and eggs, then using the whisk attachment mix until well combined.  Add 2c flour and lemon peel and mix well.  Change to the dough hook and with the machine running, add flour until the dough begins to pull away from the bowl.  Remove dough and place on a floured surface.  Continue to knead and add flour until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.  Place in a bowl sprayed with nonstick spray, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled.

While the dough is rising, prepare the filling.  Bring 500ml water to a boil, and then pour over poppyseeds in a medium bowl.  Set aside to cool.  The original recipe said to grind the poppyseeds twice, but I didn't have much luck with a coffee grinder or blender, so I just proceeded with the recipe and it turned out fine.  If you want to try grinding, best of luck!  Add sugar (I started with 150g), raisins, walnuts, honey, almond extract, cinnamon and butter and mix well.  In a clean bowl, whip egg whites until they form soft peaks.  Gently fold egg whites into the poppyseed mixture and taste.  Add more sugar, if necessary (I ended up using adding a bit more).

Preheat oven to 350deg.

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch down.  Cut the dough into 3 pieces (when I did two they came out way too large!) and cover them with a towel.  One at a time, roll out each piece of dough into a rectangle.  Spread out 1/3 of the poppyseed filing, leaving 1" on the edges.  Starting from the long side of the dough, roll up tightly.  Transfer to a cookie sheet (I baked mine on a pizza stone) and brush with the an egg wash made from several yolks mixed with a drop or two of water.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-45min (the time will depend on the size of the loaf), until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.  Let cool on a rack before cutting.

Looking at these pictures again, my mouth is watering!  While we usually make this for Easter, I'm thinking there's no reason not to enjoy it any time of year :)

Have you every tried a poppyseed roll?  Or ever tried grinding poppyseeds--any advice??

Horchata Dutch Baby

When looking for a sweet component to my egg-centric brunch, I was lucky enough to come across Alisa's recipe for a wheat and dairy free dutch baby.  With some horchata in my fridge, my plan materialized: an horchata dutch baby with sauteed bananas and cajeta.

I followed Alisa's recipe for the dutch baby, using oat flour and vegan horchata as my milk alternative.  The recipe was easy enough, but I found it to be quite thick and heavier than the dutch babies I've had before.  (Something sounds wrong with that last sentence, but hopefully you realize I'm not eating children from the Netherlands.)  As the dutch baby is very lightly sweetened, bananas sauteed in a little coconut spread with 1-2T brown sugar and cajeta were the perfect accompaniments and a great ending to the brunch!



Horchata (Vegan)
adapted from Kelly

I was missing a couple of ingredients and apparently patience, as mine retained some texture.  I was fine with this as I was using it in cupcakes, but if you prefer a smooth drink make sure to strain it well.

3oz brown rice
2.5oz whole almonds (or blanched, if you have them)
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/4c hot tap water
1/2c evaporated cane juice (or granulated sugar)
1c almond milk
1t vanilla extract

Add rice, almonds, and cinnamon stick to a bowl.  Add hot tap water and set aside, letting it cool to room temperature.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Pour the mixture into a blender and add sugar, then blend on high for several minutes until the mixture is as smooth as possible.  Strain through a fine sieve, pressing out as much liquid as you can.  Cheesecloth works well here, if you don't mind the wait.  I was a little impatient and just strained it through a hand held strainer, which gave some heft to my horchata.  Your choice!

Add almond milk and vanilla, mix well.  Refrigerate a few hours.  Serve ice cold.




Are you a fan of the dutch baby pancake?  What's your favorite way to fill it?


This recipe was featured in my "EB Mine" menu, a brunch I hosted along with Eggland’s Best to raise awareness about the importance of a healthy diet to reduce the risk of heart disease. I have a sweet giveaway going on, where the winner will receive a swag bag full of my EB Goodies. Check out my EB Mine Brunch post to enter, today (Feb 29th) is the last day! 

Meyer Lemon Cranberry Scones

Tart and not too sweet, these scones paired seasonal meyer lemons with some cranberries stashed away in the freezer a few months ago to create a light treat for brunch.  In an effort to keep them cow-free, I tried out some coconut spread, and i've included some notes on how I think it affected the dough below. Whether you use butter, earth balance or coconut spread, these scones are definitely worth making!

Meyer Lemon Cranberry Scones
slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Only the zest of meyer lemons is used for this recipe, might I suggest freezing the juice for some meyer lemonade this summer??  You can thank me later.  Also, I changed this recipe to avoid the use of cow milk, but I've left the original ingredients as options for you if you choose.

1 1/2T meyer lemon zest
1c AP flour
1 1/2c white whole wheat flour
1/2c + 3T evaporated cane juice (or granulated sugar), divided
1T baking powder
1/2t salt
3oz coconut spread (or butter)
1 1/4c frozen cranberries
1 lg egg
1 egg yolk
1c goat milk (or cream)

Preheat the oven to 400deg.

Add flours, lemon zest, 1/2c sugar, baking powder, salt and coconut spread to the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until the mixture becomes a coarse meal and transfer to a large bowl.

Add the frozen cranberries and 3T sugar to the food processor and pulse until the cranberries are coarsely chopped.  Add to the flour mix.

In a small bowl, beat together the egg and egg yolk, then stir in milk.  Add to the flour mixture and then stir until just combined.

Now, the recipe calls for patting the dough into a 1" thick round circle on a well-floured surface, then cutting scones out with a 2" cutter.  I was able to do this with a few of them, but my dough was still pretty wet (probably from my substitutions).  They worked just as well as 'drop' scones, where I simply spooned a bit of the mixture onto a cookie sheet.

Place scones 1" apart on a baking sheet and bake 15-20min, until pale golden.  Serve warm.

Deb's also got instructions for freezing the scone dough, so you can have warm scones at a moment's notice!

This recipe was featured in my "EB Mine" menu, a brunch I hosted along with Eggland’s Best to raise awareness about the importance of a healthy diet to reduce the risk of heart disease. I have a sweet giveaway going on, where the winner will receive a swag bag full of my EB Goodies. Check out my EB Mine Brunch post to enter through February 29th!

Egg Roulade

I'm not the creative genius behind this recipe.  First it was Cara (tried her version with mushrooms and goat cheese, fabulous), then Joanne.  I knew I wanted to get on the bandwagon with my own twist.

It looks difficult, but trust me this is pretty easy!  If some of your egg mixture leaks below the parchment paper, like it did for me, it's not to worry either.  The sheet of cooked egg was still easy to roll up and the extra bits were perfect for taste-testing!

Egg Roulade [w/Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Goat Cheese and Black Bean Avocado Puree]
adapted from Cara's version

To come up with a name that encompassed each component is darn near impossible, so I'm keeping it simple.  As always you can play around with the filling here and come up with your own version!

For 1 roulade:
6 eggs
1/4c greek goat yogurt
2T almond milk
1/4t salt
freshly ground pepper

For the sweet potato mixture (will make enough for 2):
1lb sweet potatoes, roasted
1/4t salt
freshly ground black pepper
3.25oz goat cheese

For the black bean mixture (will make enough for 2):
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 ripe avocado
1/4t salt
1/4t cumin
2-4 roasted garlic cloves

Preheat the oven to 350deg.

Start by roasting the sweet potatoes and garlic (this can be done ahead of time).  Wash the sweet potatoes and poke all over with a fork, then wrap them in foil.  I find mine are usually done around the 1hr mark depending on the size.  For the garlic, I take off some of the outer papery layers and then cut the tips of the garlic cloves off.  Put in a small baking dish or foil, then add a little bit of olive oil to the exposed surface.  Bake until fragrant, ~30-45min.

Next step is to prepare the fillings (also easy to make ahead of time). I added the roasted sweet potatoes (along with the any juice that accumulates) to a blender along with the goat cheese, salt and pepper.  Blend until smooth and set aside.  You can remove the skins if you like, but there's alot of good nutrition in there if your blender can handle it!

For the black bean mixture I added the ingredients to the small bowl of a food processor and processed until well combined.  You may need a touch of liquid to get a smooth consistency, in which case I'd try a small bit of water, stock, or olive oil.

Raise the oven temperature to 375deg and make sure you have a rack in the middle of the oven.  Prepare a 9x13 pan (I used a stoneware baking sheet) by spraying with nonstick spray and lining with parchment paper (cut to the size of the pan, you don't want any overhanging).  Spray the top of parchment with nonstick spray.

Add the ingredients for the roulade (egg through pepper) to a blender and blend until smooth and frothy.  Pour into the prepared 9x13pan and bake for 12-15min, until the egg mixture is firm.  Remove and let cool a bit.  Spread an even layer of the black bean mixture to the egg sheet, followed by a layer of the sweet potato mixture.  Starting from the short side, roll tightly (but gently).  Sprinkle with cheese if desired, and bake another 8-10min, until the roulade is heated through.

Slice with a serrated knife and serve!

It's always fun to serve something that looks impressive but is easy to make.  This certainly fits the bill, and should be on the menu of your next brunch!

What would your filling for the roulade be??


This recipe was featured in my "EB Mine" menu, a brunch I hosted along with Eggland’s Best to raise awareness about the importance of a healthy diet to reduce the risk of heart disease. I have a sweet giveaway going on, where the winner will receive a swag bag full of my EB Goodies. Check out my EB Mine Brunch post to enter through February 29th!

Three for Thursday

1.  Maple Cream

Make this tonight.  And then use it to top Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls.  Perfect weekend treat!

2. White Bean Soup w/Crispy Proscuitto

Creamy and healthy, this is perfect to warm up with when there's a chill in the air!  P.S.- I didn't brush the proscuitto with oil and it still crisped up nicely.

3.  Broccoli, Apple & Peanut Soup

A bit of red curry paste and peanut butter kick up your traditional broccoli soup!

What good recipes have you tried from around the blogosphere??

Make-ahead Hash

Maybe I pushed too much for too long.  I got sick.  The kind of sick that had me doing nothing on the couch instead of doing little things around the house.  Instead of blogging I got hooked on Breaking Bad.  Oops.  Finally feeling a bit better, I wanted to share a way to get dinner on the table in 10min, with a little prep work ahead of time. #win.

Make-ahead Sweet Potato Kale Hash
Inspired by Emily and Ranjani

1 small onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, diced

2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes

1/4t smoked paprika

1t ground coriander

2-4T extra virgin olive oil

coarse sea salt

4-6c packed kale, de-ribbed and torn into pieces (~1 head)

Preheat oven to 400deg.

Add chopped onion, jalapeno and sweet potatoes to a large bowl along with spices.  Add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of coarse salt.  Toss and roast 15-20min, until the sweet potatoes are almost tender.

While the first batch of veggies are roasting, wash and de-rib the kale.  Tear into pieces and add to the bowl (same one from the sweet potatoes, no need to wash).  Add a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkling of coarse slat and a few grinds of pepper.

When the sweet potatoes are almost done, add the kale and return to the oven for 10min.

Remove from the oven and let cool before transferring to microwave-safe containers.

When it's time for dinner, start cooking your eggs.  You can poach or pan-fry your egg, whichever you prefer.  I prepared mine sunny side up in a nonstick pan.  Once you get your egg(s) cooking, warm up a portion of the hash in the microwave.  To serve, top your hash with the egg(s)!

What's been your go-to quick meal recently??

Butternut Thyme Bars

I promised another use for my Butternut Coconut Jam, and here it is.  To find the recipe, head over to Beantown Baker for my guest post :)  While you're there, take a peek at some of Jen's awesome creations (cannoli cupcakes anyone?), she's quite the talented baker!

Click here for the recipe!

Butternut Coconut Jam

With an abundance of butternut squash thanks to my CSA, I set out to try something different.  A quick perusal of my saved recipes and I found my inspiration.  Butternut coconut jam.  Oh yes.  Grated squash, cooked down to a jam-like consistency?  Awesome.

A unique addition to a cheese plate, this jam goes perfectly well with an assertive cheese.  I tried it with goat cheese, surprising no one :)

crostini w/goat cheese and butternut coconut jam

It also worked well in a pork tenderloin (1lb) that I stuffed with sage (1-2T), butternut coconut jam (1/2c) and gorgonzola (~1/3c).  I didn't write down an exact recipe, but it was similar to this technique.

stuffed pork tenderloin w/roasted brussels, sweet potatoes, onions and cranberries

Some other potential uses for the jam:
     as a cupcake filling
     inside a grilled cheese (w/sage or rosemary, nuts and/or apples)
     stirred into oatmeal
     on top of goat cheese ice cream
     in a fall s'more, between homemade graham crackers and marshmallows

Butternut Coconut Jam
adapted from The Kitch'n
Yield:

1 butternut squash (2-2.5lbs)
2c unsweetened almond milk
1 1/2c evaporated cane juice (or granulated sugar)
1/2c dark brown sugar (mine was unpacked)
1 cinnamon stick
8 whole cloves
2 vanilla beans
1c dried unsweetened coconut

Peel the butternut squash and cut into pieces.  Grate the squash (I used my food processor), or cut into small pieces.  Add squash, milk, sugars and spices into a large, heavy pot.  Split the vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds and add to the squash along with the scraped pods.  Cover and cook over medium heat until the squash is soft and tender (~15min or so).

Once the squash is tender, remove the cover and continue to cook on medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture is reduced and thick like...  jam :)  Mine took ~1hr or so.  Remove from pan from the heat and stir in the coconut.  Once cool, fish out the cloves, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean pods.  I left the jam as-is as I wanted to retain some texture, but if you prefer a smooth jam mash or puree the mixture.  Store in the refrigerator.



How would you eat this butternut coconut jam?  Check back later this week for another use!

Persimmon Apple Spice Bread

Fuyu persimmons

In late fall I look towards the appearance of persimmons in the market.  No, they're not grown locally, but they're in season somewhere, and that's ok in my book.

Trying your first persimmon shouldn't be taken lightly.  One variety (hachiya) is quite astringent when unripe, so you want to be a little careful!  The short, squat variety (fuyu) can be eaten at any time like an apple, but the acorn shaped ones must be ripe (very soft, almost mushy and bright orange) before using the flesh. 

Wanting to embrace the season, I added in another fall favorite, apples!  Together with some Chinese Five Spice I had picked up awhile back,  you've got a deliciously warming quickbread that's perfect for breakfast, a snack, or an addition to brunch.

Persimmon Apple Spice Bread
adapted from Food Blogga
Yield:  5 small loaves

You could certainly bake this in 2 normal loaf pans or even muffin tins, just adjust the baking time accordingly.

1 3/4c white whole wheat flour
3/4c AP flour
1 1/2t baking soda
3/4t baking powder
1t salt
1t Chinese Five Spice
1/2t cinnamon
1/2t nutmeg
1 1/4c evaporated cane juice (or granulated sugar)

3 lg eggs
1/2c oil or melted butter (I used a mix of melted coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil)
1/4c unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2c pureed persimmon pulp (traditionally made from hachiyas, but fuyus will also work)
3/4c chopped apple
3/4c toasted walnuts

Preheat oven to 350deg.

Add the dry ingredients (flour through sugar) to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.  Add toasted walnuts and toss to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs.  Add oil/butter, applesauce and persimmon pulp and whisk to combine.  Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.  Fold in the chopped apples.  Divide into mini loaf pans sprayed with nonstick spray.  Bake for 25-35min, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes clean.  Cool on a rack.

Serve warm or room temp, apple butter optional!  Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap to store for a few days, or freeze to enjoy at a later date.

If you're looking for different persimmon recipes, try  persimmon pudding, fall harvest muffins, persimmon cookies and persimmon date bread!

If you've tried persimmons, how would you describe the taste??  I was struggling with this, but I'd say sweet, with hints of honey or mango.  I'd like to know your thoughts!

Pop Tarts

You never know where and when inspiration will strike.  Often it's when you least expect it.  I was eating lunch with some folks at work when the conversation somehow turned to pop tarts.  They were never my thing as a kid, and given my penchant for healthier cooking these days, I didn't give them a second thought.

That is, until I thought about my tomato jam.  I know, I know, I've already posted about it several times, but this jam uses some of summer's finest produce and a totally intriguing way.  Challenging myself to use it different ways has been part of the fun.

While I don't have a go-to healthier pie crust recipe yet, I used a cue from Winnie and used greek yogurt for some of the butter in her dough.  This seemed like a great idea and definitely helped create a healthier treat suitable for breakfast or a snack!

Enjoying food so good it makes you smile; that's good living at its finest.

Sweet & Savory Pop Tarts
crust adapted from Healthy Green Kitchen

You can certainly use whatever jam you have to fill these, and if you want to make them sweet, swap out the rosemary for 1T sugar.

2c white whole wheat flour
1/2c finely grated gruyere
1/2t sea salt
1t chopped fresh rosemary (mine was heaping)
1 stick butter, cubed
1c greek yogurt (such as Fage Total 2%)
2-4T almond milk
1 egg
tomato jam

Add flour to a large bowl along with gryere, salt and rosemary, then stir to combine.  Add butter and yogurt, and cut in using a pastry blender or a couple knives.  The dough should resemble some large pebbles at this point.  Stir in milk, 1T at a time, until the dough just comes together.  Divide dough in half, flatten into a loose rectangle, wrap in saran wrap and then refrigerate for several hours or overnight (I only waited an hour and it was fine).

Take your dough out of the fridge and let it soften a bit for ~15min.  Place one half on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle at least 9"x12" in size (I used a ruler).  Repeat with the second half of dough.  Cut each 9"x12" rectangle into nine smaller 3"x4" rectangles.  Set the trimmings aside.

Beat the egg in a small bowl to use as an egg wash.  Brush over the surface of the first dough (9 rectangles), this will be the inside of the pop tart and help hold the top on.  Add a heaping tablespoon to the center of each rectangle (Deb advises leaving at least 1/2" perimeter of bare dough around the filling).  Place a small rectangle from the second dough (not egg washed) on top of the filling.  Press around the filling with your fingertips to seal the dough on all sides, and then press with the tines of a fork.  Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork (for the steam to escape).  Repeat with remaining rectangles.

Carefully add the tarts to a parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Top with grated cheese or egg wash and coarse sea salt.

Here's where I goofed.  I accidentally skipped the 30min refrigeration and found they baked better at 400deg for 18-20min, until lightly golden brown.    However, original instructions called for refrigerating them for 30min while you preheat the oven to 350deg.  Then they're baked for 20-25min.  I'd say you could do either option.

Let the pop tarts cool on the cookie sheet on a cooling rack.

These are best not too long after coming out of the oven (just don't burn your tongue!), although they will be ok for a day or two at RT.  Pop the tarts (haha) in the toaster to reheat them a bit before enjoying!

As part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I have been entered for the chance to win a trip to Greece courtesy of FAGE.  You too can enter to win one of three trips to Greece by entering the FAGE Plain Extraordinary Greek Getaway here:  http://www.fageusa.com/community/fage-greek-getaway.

Tomato Corn Pie (CSA Week 10)

With the appearance of native beefsteak tomatoes and corn in my CSA, I knew exactly what was going to be on my menu this week...  tomato corn pie!

This recipe has been on my radar for awhile, and I'm glad I finally got around to making it.  Frankly I don't know what took me so long ;)  Combining two of summer's best with a biscuit crust, this is certainly a winner.  

Tomato Corn Pie
adpated from Gourmet
Serves 4-6

The lemon "mayo" (I swapped greek yogurt for most of the mayo) was a delightful surprise, although I'm going to suggest you put it in between layers instead of on top of all of the tomato and corn.  Even after draining the tomato slices a bit my pie was still juicy when I cut into it, just pour off the liquid if this happens to you.

For the biscuit crust:
2c white whole wheat flour
1T baking powder
3/4t salt
6T cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/4c greek yogurt whisked with 1/2c milk (or 3/4c buttermilk)

For the filling:
1/3c greek yogurt
2T olive oil mayo
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon (could double this if you have it)
1 3/4lb beefsteak tomatoes, peeled* and sliced crosswise 1/4" thick and drained on paper towels
corn kernals from 3 ears (~1 1/2c)
3 scallions, sliced (~1/2c)
2-3T thinly sliced basil
salt & freshly grated black pepper
5oz grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400deg.

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients for the crust (flour through salt).  Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or your fingers), until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Add milk, stirring just until a dough forms.  Gather into a ball and divide dough in half.

Roll out each half of the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to a size that's bigger than your pie plate.  With one circle, remove one sheet of parchment, invert into pie plate.  Use your fingers to pat the crust into the plate and discard the other sheet of parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together greek yogurt, lemon zest and juice, and mayo.

Arrange half of the tomatoes on the bottom of the pie crust.  Top with half the corn, scallions and basil.  Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Pour lemon-yogurt mixture over the filling and top with half the cheese.  Repeat layering with the rest of the ingredients.

Place the other half of the dough on top of the pie and then pinch the edges together with the bottom crust to seal.  Cut 4 vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape.  You can brush the top with melted butter, milk or an egg wash...  but I chose not to.

Bake for 30-35min, until crust is golden and filling is bubbling.  Cool on a wire rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

*To peel the tomatoes, slice a shallow X on the bottom and drop in boiling water for 10sec.  Plunge into ice cold water to cool, then drain and the peel should easily slip off!

Hang onto summer and go make this pie!!