You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'entree' tag.
(I’m posting this as part of The Nourishing Gourmet’s Simple & Nourhsing Carival. No doubt there will be lots of delicious recipes submitted on her page, so head on over today and take a look.)
I’m a big fan of Mexican food. Unlike most other cuisines, it’s the one I am most often in the mood for. Of course, this doesn’t mean I’m chowing down on chimichangas and doing tequila shots every night. Rather, at least once a week, I like to reduce Mexican cuisine (or, rather, what I love so much about it) to its basics.
My Mexican Bowl is a healthy alternative to the traditional fare you’d find in a taqueria. It’s very fast and easy to make and very portable, so great for lunch at work.
The Basic Bowl:
Brown rice
Black beans (canned is fine if you’re in a rush; just make sure you rinse them)
Avocado* (either in chunks or mashed a la guacamole)
Add ons:
tomatoes
sauteed peppers and onions
your favorite brand of salsa
cheese (pick a high flavor cheese so you don’t have to pile it on to taste it)
plain greek yogurt (a great substitute for sour cream)
vegetable of your choice (I like kale or spinach)
Layer the bowl with brown rice, covered in beans, covered in avocado. Pile on the toppings — go heavy on the vegetables to make it even healthier!
If you have leftover brown rice on hand, this takes less than 5 minutes to prepare!
* I’ve noticed that a lot of people are afraid of avocados. Yes, they have fat. No, that shouldn’t scare you — it’s good for you and will keep you full and satisfied for a long time!
Last week, Mark Bittman posted a recipe for Lamb Stew with Dill. This looked so good that I knew I’d have to make it ASAP before it gets warm — who wants to eat stew when it’s 80 degrees outside??!
I adapted the recipe a bit (partly by design and partly through forgetfulness on my part) and it was AMAZING. I served it over brown rice with a glass of Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon. A perfect meal for an end-of-winter evening.
LAMB AND VEGETABLE STEW
adapted from Mark Bittman’s recipe
1 lb boneless lamb (I got “lamb stew meat” from Whole Foods), cut into 1 in cubes
4 shallots, peeled
2 turnips, peeled and cut into 1 in chunks
3 carrots, unpeeled and diced into small cubes
1 c lacinto kale, roughly chopped
red wine
1 tbsp arrowroot powder or kuzu (natural thickeners)
1/4 c warm water
1/2 c fresh dill, chopped
Add lamb to a large skillet or pot and sear over high heat for 2 minutes, undisturbed. Stir, add whole shallots and turnips. Cook for 3 minutes and add salt, pepper, and 1 cup of water. Scrape bottom of pot, then reduce flame to low and simmer for 45 minutes, covered, stirring occaisonally.
Uncover, and add carrots, kale, 1 cup water, and a glug of red wine (more or less, to taste). Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes, until lamb and turnips tender.
In a small bowl combine 1/4 c warm water and arrowroot powder until disolved. Uncover post and add mixture, stirring until slightly thickened. Serve immediately or, if you prefer less liquid, turn up the heat until the soup has the desired consistency. Serve with dill sprinkled on top.
(In Bittman’s original recipe it calls for 1 c green peas, which I bought (frozen) but forgot about. I have about a cup of stew left — this weekend, I will add the peas, plus some more water, and make a second batch from the first!)
My lunch routine has gotten old, so I decided to spice it up! Beans are the perfect lunchtime fare, as they’re loaded with soluble fiber, which regulates blood sugar levels and can help lower cholesterol. Best of all, beans are an incredibly satisfying mix of protein and slow-burning carbohydrate — they definitely keep me full and on my game all afternoon!
I threw this chickpea salad together on the fly — and it’s delish. Takes under five minutes and you can make a big batch of it and snack on it all week. Today, I’m having mine over mixed greens with a lemon and olive oil dressing. I may add a few slices of grilled chicken for extra oomph.
EASY CHICKPEA SALAD
1 can chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans)
2 stalks celery, sliced finely
1/2 clove garlic, mined finely
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
pinch of smoked paprika
french feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all of the above and sprinkle feta on top. For extra flavor, prepare the night before and let sit in the refrigerator overnight to soak up the flavors.
Can be stored for up to 4 days.
Red cabbage is a powerhouse vegetable, chock full of Vitamin C (among others!). It’s also delicious and versatile. When wandering through the grocery store recently, I noticed that the red cabagges look particularly good that day, so I decided to buy some and create a recipe around it. The result, a melange of chicken, cabbage, and apples, is hearty and filling–perfect for the winter. I love its salty, sour, but yet sweet flavor.
Red Cabbage, Apple, and Chicken Saute
serves two
1 large chicken breast
1 apple, sliced into 1/4 in pieces and then chopped into large chunks
2 1/2 c chopped red cabbage*
1/2 c vegetable broth
1-2 tsp rice vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
Heat a medium frying pan; add 1 tbsp olive oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Salt and pepper each side of the chicken breast; add to hot pan and cook on both sides until nearly done (You want the outside to be nicely browned, but the inside to still be a bit raw). Remove from heat and set aside on cutting board.
Add 1 tbsp olive oil to pan; once heated, add the chopped apples and cabbage. Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until they begin to get brown and soften a bit. Add vegetable broth and vinegar** and allow to cook for another 5-6 minutes. In the meantime, slice chicken breast into strips.
Remove cabbage, apples, and broth from pan. Add chicken and cook 1-2 minutes, or until no longer raw in the middle. Add back in the cabbage, apples, and broth; cook 1 minute, stirring.
Serve on top of or alongside of brown rice.
* It doesn’t matter how you chop it; I tried this recipe twice and chopped it differently each time.
** If you love vinegar, try adding 2 tsp; otherwise, stick with one. It’s always easier to add more than take away.
I’ve been wanting to make tempeh, as I haven’t cooked it for quite some time. Tempeh is fermented soybeans–a great source of soy and omega-3 fatty acids. It’s also high in fiber. You can buy it from any health food store, in the refrigerated section. It’s used as a meat substitute and is actually the healthiest and most digestible form of soy other than soybeans themselves.
I found this recipe on Heidi Swanson’s website. I passed it on to a friend, who made it with tofu and loved it. I think it would also be good with chicken or shrimp–it’s quite versatile!
ORANGE PAN-GLAZED TEMPEH
1 c freshly squeeze orange juice (3-4 large juicy oranges
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 tsp tamari (or soy sauce)
1 1/2 tbsp mirin
2 tsp maple syrup (I used maybe 1/3 tsp)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
roughly 10 oz tempeh
1/2 lime
handful of cilantro
Pur orange juice in a small bowl. Squeeze the grated ginger over the bowl to extract the juices, then discard the pulp. Add the tamari, mirin, maple syrup, coriander, and garlic. Mix together and set aside.
Cut the tempeh into thin-ish, bite-sized pieces.
Put the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the tempeh and fry for 5 minutes, or until golden underneath. Turn and cook the other side for another 5 minutes, or until golden. Pour the orange juice mixture into the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced to a lovely thick glaze. Turn the tempeh once more during this time.
Serve the tempeh drizzled with any remaining sauce and a squeeze of lime, with the coriander scattered on top [Note, I didn't add the lime or the coriander. I served the tempeh over bhutanese red rice and lightly steamed broccoli].
As it gets colder and darker outside, I’ve been getting hungrier and hungrier. I couldn’t figure it out at first — why am I SO hungry? Why isn’t the food I’ve been eating thus far filling me up? Why do I suddenly need SIX meals a day!
Then, in the middle of a seasonal eating workshop I was leading, it came to me. It was the middle of fall, and I was still eating summer foods and summer quantities! It was time to switch over to hearter, heavier foods. I don’t a lot of meat in the summer (it’s hot enough outside without me eating heating foods!), but as it gets colder, I start to crave more of them.
So in my quest to find a filling meal I could take to work with me, I decided to modify this recipe from Whole Foods. I had been craving turkey chili, but wanted to make something with more vegetables, so it was complete, one pot meal. It turned out very well–I was suspicious about the capers, but they added a nice touch. If you don’t have any around, they’re not necessary.
Turkey Chickpea Chili
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
4 medium zucchini, chopped
1 (35-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1/2 bunch lacinto kale, chopped
3/4 lb ground turkey
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooked red or white quinoa, cous cous, or brown rice
Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Lower the heat, add garlicand cook for 3 minutes until translucent. Add peppers and cook 5 minutes more. Add zucchini and cook for 15 minutes. In another skillet, heat a bit of olive oil and sautee the turkey, breaking up into small pieces. Add tomatoes, crushing them with your hands. Add turkey. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 20 minutes, or until zucchini is soft and translucent but still holds its shape. Stir in chickpeas and capers and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then serve over grain of choice.
I made amazing macaroni and cheese dish last night for an election party. It was a huge hit! I’ll admit it, there is nothing healthy about this recipe. It’s pretty unhealthy. But, it’s also very tasty. So next time you’re really craving some comfort food, this is definitely a good splurge.
(Okay, I tried to make it slightly healthier by substituting whole wheat penne for refined pasta–it turned out well. Also, on a whim, I added chopped spinach to the cheese sauce. You couldn’t really taste it, but it made me feel better seeing a bit of green in there.)
Baked macaroni and cheese
Pervaiz Shallwani, Associated Press [and my boyfriend]
Serves 6
1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
2 tablespoons salt, plus more to taste
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon olive oil
31/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup panko or other coarse bread crumbs
Heat the oven to broil. Use 1 tablespoon of butter to generously coat a 3-quart casserole dish.
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, stir briefly, then add the pasta. Cook until tender and just past al dente, about 10 to 13 minutes, or slightly longer than package directions.
Drain the pasta, then transfer it to a large bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the pasta, then toss to coat. Set aside.
To make the sauce, in a small saucepan over low heat, bring the milk to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat.
In a
medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/2 cup of the remaining butter, using a whisk to swirl it to ensure the butter melts completely and does not turn brown. If the butter begins to brown, lower the heat.While whisking, sprinkle in the flour. Continue to whisk until the mixture just bubbles, about 2 minutes. Do not let the mixture brown. While whisking, slowly pour in the milk. Continue whisking until there are no lumps.
Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to low and season with salt and pepper. Continue whisking until the sauce reaches the consistency of heavy cream and coats the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes.
Remove the sauce from the heat. Whisk in 11/2 cups of the cheddar cheese, all of the Monterey Jack and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Whisk until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth.
Pour the sauce over the pasta and gently toss to coat. Transfer the pasta and sauce, using a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl, to the prepared casserole dish. Set aside.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter by microwaving on high for about 20 seconds. Add the bread crumbs and remaining cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Toss well.
Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly over the pasta. Place the dish on the oven’s middle rack and broil for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the edges are bubbly and a crunchy crust forms on top. Cool briefly before serving.
One of my best friends, Veronica, made some lentils for me once. Lentils have never been the same since. She discovered that balsamic vinegar was the perfect complement to these legumes… which I had never imagined.
Since then, I have tried many versions of this recipe and come up with one of my own. This is a great recipe because you can keep it for a few days and–even better–it actually tastes even more divine the next day. I usually serve it with either quinoa or brown rice–but you could also serve in as a warm salad on a bed of lettuce or as a side dish.
Lentils are full of protein, fiber, and iron.
French Lentils with Greens
1 c green lentils (also know as French or de Puy lentils), rinsed
2 c vegetable of chicken broth*
2 c water
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 bunch greens (collards, kale, spinach, chard…etc), rinsed, de-stalked, and chopped into small pieces
1-2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
dash of balsamic vinegar
crumbled goat cheese (optionals)
Heat oil in large saucepot. Saute onions, until soft, and then add garlic. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Add water and broth and bring to a boil. Add lentils, celery, rosemary and greens. Stir. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until lentils are soft and water has been absorbed. Turn off heat and cool for a few minutes. Stir in a few dashes of balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper to taste. If desired, top with a few pinches of goat cheese. Enjoy!
*I usually use vegetable broth to cook with; my boyfriend, an actual chef, insists on using chicken broth, as the fat and gelatin from the broth cook down to make a nice sauce. I generally don’t go out of my way to add meat products to my diet unnecessarily–so I go with the vegetable stock. But to each his own! Try it with both and see which you like better.
This is a super simple recipe I came up with on the fly–totally based on what was in my refrigerator at the time. To make it in a pinch, use leftover rice–you can use any variety. I used a mixture of brown rice and Japonica, which is nuttier in taste and dark in colour. The entire pot of rice will turn blackish–very lovely against the white tofu.
This is surprisingly tasty, considering how simple it is. It’s slightly spicy and very sesame-y.
Sesame Black Rice with Tofu
serves 1-2
1 c water
1/2 brown rice blend: 2/3 short grain brown rice, 1/3 Japonica rice
1/4 red or yellow pepper, diced
2 oz firm tofu, diced into small cubes
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp sriracha sauce
olive oil
salt to taste
Cook rice according to these instructions, or use leftover rice. In skillet, heat olive oil. Once very hot, add tofu. Cook for 5 minutes, turning once. Tofu should become brown on at least one side and, hopefully, crispy. Add in red peppers and saute for 1 minute.
In a separate skillet, heat sesame seeds for about 1-2 minutes until they are toasted (lightly brown).
Add sesame seeds, sriracha, and toasted sesame oil to tofu and peppers. Stir in rice and toss until well combined. Salt to taste. Serve immediately.
Fall’s here… which means I’m craving heartier foods. I saw this recipe in the New York Times last week and thought I’d give a modified version a try.
If you use canned beans, remember to rinse them very well. Never use the water the beans are canned with–discard it and rinse well.
White Bean, Mushroom, and Zucchini Stuffed Peppers
serves three
3 red, yellow and/or green bell peppers (yellow and red are sweeter)
3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 ounces sliced white mushrooms (about 1 cup)
1 zucchini, diced
15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinse
1/2 c short grain brown rice, cooked
1/2 cup vegetable broth
freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Slice off top of each pepper and discard. Remove veins and seeds from each pepper cavity.
2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and zucchini and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until mushrooms are golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in the beans, basil, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in brown rice. Taste and adjust seasoning.
3. Fill each pepper with bean mixture and arrange in a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Add 2 tablespoons water to dish. Top each pepper with parmesan cheese. Bake until peppers are very tender and topping is golden, about 45 minutes.
