Think Outside the (Lunch)Box

Do you ever find yourself stuck in a lunch rut, getting tired of eating the same cold cut sandwiches, canned soups or pb&j's everyday? Start the new year off right and get those creative juices flowing by stepping outside the traditional lunch box for some newer, healthier, and spunkier recipes! Unlike most people who view making or packing lunch a tedious chore, I view this task as a time to get creative and pack in my veggies into one easy dish that's ready to go. Usually I take leftovers from dinner the night before for lunch, but with a little planning over the weekend or on a slow weeknight, you can also make one of these three types of all-in-one cold salads that are perfect for a delicious and nutritious lunch, no-heat necessary. And as always with my non-specific recipes, feel free to use what you have on hand and adjust the recipe to your liking!

Fiesta Corn Pasta Salad

Directions: Cook 1lb bag of corn pasta (found it at trader joes), rinse with cool water and put in large bowl. Add 1 can of rinsed black beans, 2 bell peppers (diced), 1/2 small onion (chopped), 1 clove of garlic (minced), 2 avocados (chopped), 2 tblsp of olive oil, and the juice of 2-3 limes. Mix all ingredients together and spice it up with salt, pepper, cumin, chili pepper, cilantro and hot sauce of your choice!! 

Cranberry, Feta and Almond Brown Rice Salad

Directions: Cook about 2 cups of dry brown rice (or any type of brown or wild rice blend), rinse with cold water and place into a large bowl. Add about 1 cup each of dried cranberries, slivered almonds, and feta cheese crumbles. You can also add some raw broccoli pieces (I used a bag of broccoli slaw mix from trader joes) for an extra crunch and added nutrients. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over mixture, season with salt and pepper, and combine well.

Crunchy Apple, Fennel, Cabbage Slaw

 Directions: Combine one chopped fennel bulb, 1/4 head purple cabbage (chopped), 2 apples (diced) and a handful each of chopped or slivered almonds and dried cranberries. In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1 tblsp dijon mustard, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tblsp olive oil, and small drizzle of honey. Pour over slaw, mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste! 

Curried Butternut Squash Hummus

I have been on a curry kick recently, I think because of my determination to stay healthy and not succumb to the common cold/flu that plagues so many during this time of year (including all my roommates!). I am a big fan of curry, not only for its bold, distinct flavors, but also for its acclaimed anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties thanks to the curcumin (aka tumeric, which gives the curry that bright yellow/orange color). When combined with fresh garlic and ginger, which are also both known for their immune-boosting, cancer-fighting, anti-inflammatory properties, curry can and should become your best friend if you too want to fight off sickness and stay healthy!

You should already know by now how much I love making my own hummus (if not, see previous post here), so I don't need to go into that again, but I did just want to share my newest hummus creation using all of the above mentioned ingredients and also butternut squash, a perfect fall combination. I brought this over to a nutrition department cookout with some pita bread to dip and everyone loved it... so if you're looking for a cheap and easy appetizer to bring to a party that will really wow your friends.. this recipe is a must-try!!

CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH HUMMUS

Ingredients

(basic hummus recipe + butternut squash, ginger, curry)

2 cans of chickpeas (preferably organic, no salt-added or low-sodium)

~1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

juice of one lemon

~2 tblsp tahini

~2-3 tblsp extra virgin olive oil

~1 inch (or 1 tblsp) of fresh ginger root, peeled and grated or chopped 

1 medium butternut squash, chopped and steamed until soft

~1 tblsp curry powder

salt/pepper to taste

Directions

Simply add all ingredients to medium-large bowl and mix using immersion blender or food processor until smooth and creamy (may need to add a little bit of water or a tad more oil until smooth). Serve with fresh veggies or pita bread. ENJOY! 

Mexican Sweet Potato Soup

Fall is in the air and I couldn't be happier. Not only because I am that much closer to finishing my program up in January, but also because I'm obsessed with the abundance of root vegetables that defines the fall season. Colorful, earthy, hearty, soulful, versatile... beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, radishes, rutabagas, the list goes on. Sweet potatoes were my root vegetable of choice this week from the market and what better way to kick off fall then with a delicious soup?! Sweet potatoes (which are not even in the same family as regular potatoes, surprisingly) are loaded with vitamin A from the orange-licious beta-carotene, vitamin C, fiber and tons of other important vitamins and minerals, which make it no surprise that sweet potatoes are considered one of the most nutritious vegetables in the world! But more importantly, sweet potatoes just plain taste good, they are cheap, and they are so so so versatile... a true staple in my kitchen. So here's a super simple and flavorful soup to celebrate the changing of the seasons, the wonderful autumn harvest, the onset of cooler weather, back to school time, or whatever it is you have to celebrate in your life!

MEXICAN SWEET POTATO SOUP

Ingredients:

1 tblsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup carrots and celery (traditional/optional soup starters- adds good flavor)

3 large (or 4 medium) sweet potatoes, chopped

6-8 cups vegetable broth (I used my own homemade vegetable broth... more to come on that, but you can used store brought, preferably low sodium)

1 bay leaf

Spices: salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, paprika, cilantro, cayenne (if you like it hot!)

Chipotle hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring often until softened.

2. Add the sweet potatoes and cover with vegetable broth. Add the bay leaf, and spices/hot sauce (a few dashes of each, depending on your preferences and what you have).

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the sweet potatoes are soft (~20-30min).

4. Use an immersion hand mixer or blender to blend the soup until smooth and creamy. 

5. Adjust the taste with spices/hot sauce to your liking. You can also add milk or yogurt for extra creaminess. Top with a sprig of parsley or cilantro, maybe a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, and enjoy! 

Cinnamon Apple Chips

Happy Meatless Monday everyone! I know I haven't been quite on top of posting a new meat-free recipe every Monday, but I hope you are still trying and challenging yourself to go one entire day each week without meat.  Anyone have any comments on their own experience trying Meatless Mondays? I'd love to hear about it!

While procrastinating doing biostatistics homework, I thought I would go ahead and post an easy and delicious recipe for apple chips that I made this weekend (Okay so it's not that exciting of a hearty Meatless Monday recipe, but it's still a tasty snack that will keep you going through a meat-free day!). I eat a lot of apples during this time of year and I'm always looking for creative ways to use them (kind of like my last cabbage post.. ), especially with apples that are starting to go bad or have a few bruises here or there. Applesauce (click here for my recipe) is usually my go-to way to prepare apples if I have a ton that I need to use up, but this weekend I tried making oven-baked apple chips with a few extra apples I had laying around... and I fell in love.   I sliced them up real thin (the thinner the slice, the crispier the chip), sprinkled with some cinnamon and popped them in the oven on really low heat until they got nice and crispy and golden brown. They are great to snack on and to take on-the-go for a super healthy munchie (wayyyyy better than greasy, fatty potato chips.. yuk!). These are soooo good, you will probably want to make more than you think you will want...

CINNAMON APPLE CHIPS 

Ingredients:

(makes about 4-5 cups worth)

3-5 apples, any type

cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees. 

2. Cut the apples into chunks around the core (or use an apple corer, if you have one), and slice very thinly. A mandolin is the best option for getting thin, even slices for crispy chips. 

3. Spread out the slices in a single layer on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper (or tin foil, but use a cooking spray first). Sprinkle side facing up with cinnamon.

4. Bake for about 20min or so on the first side, until the slices start shrinking and shriveling up, turning slightly golden brown.  Then flip over the slices, sprinkle the other side with cinnamon and put back into the oven for another 15-20 minutes until this side is golden brown and crispy. You may have to work in batches depending on how many cookie sheets you have and can fit into your oven at once. I had to do two shifts of two cookie sheets. 

ENJOY!

So Much Cabbage!

I am a huge fan of cabbage. In one of my previous posts (here), I went on about how cabbage is not only nutrient-rich, but also extremely cheap, versatile and great during the fall and winter months.  That being said, cabbage can be kind of overwhelming when you get a huge head of it and have no idea what to do. Even I've been stumped and have had get pretty creative with how I prepare cabbage after buying a GIGANTIC head of it for only $2 (score!) at the market a few weeks ago. Below are three different ways to prepare cabbage- the first two are really simple raw cabbage/coleslaw-like recipes, and the third is a cooked version with pork. I am hoping to finish the last of my cabbage leftovers for today or tomorrow, and though I've thoroughly enjoyed using every last bit of that enormous cabbage in creative ways, I think I may go on a cabbage hiatus for a while. How did that crazy cabbage soup fad diet ever catch on??

CLASSIC (MAYO-FREE) COLESLAW

Ingredients: 

4 cups chopped or shredded cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup thinly sliced or diced onion

For the dressing- a simple dijon vinaigrette:

(Don't worry about exact proportions- this is about how I like it, but adjust the oil to vinegar ratio as you like it!)

2 tblsp dijon mustard

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

drizzle of honey or agave syrup

1 tblsp olive oil

salt/pepper

Directions:

1. Combine the shredded cabbage, carrots and onions into a large bowl. 

2. In a small bowl, use a fork or whisk to mix together the dressing ingredients until well-combined. 

3. Pour over the coleslaw and mix well. This coleslaw is a great dish to take to a party and can keep well in the fridge for a few days. Enjoy!

CABBAGE WITH PEANUT SAUCE

This is hands-down my favorite go-to way to prepare cabbage - very simply with shredded cabbage and a deliciously rich and creamy peanut sauce. The sauce, which is so lip-smackingly good, can easily be made ahead, stored in the fridge and used in a variety of other ways. 

 

For the peanut sauce: 

2 tblsp creamy peanut butter (softened for a few seconds in the microwave)
2 tblsp soy sauce, preferably low-sodium
2 tblsp rice vinegar
the juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
pinch of grated ginger
a touch of siracha (a spicy red chili hot sauce... use at your own risk!)
a little bit of water to thin it out

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the peanut sauce with a fork or whisk until well-combined.

2. Pour just enough sauce to cover your cabbage, but don't drench it. Save the extra sauce in the fridge for later use.

SAGE-MUSTARD PORK CHOP WITH SAUTEED CABBAGE AND ONIONS

Ingredients:

2 pork chops, preferably local, organic, and/or humanely raised

Sage mustard sauce (I found this awesome sauce at my local market, but if you don't have anything like this, than you can use a dijon or honey mustard instead and just add dried sage) 

Salt/pepper

Dried sage

4 cups cabbage, shredded

1 medium onion, chopped

sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)

Directions:

1. Marinate the pork chops with mustard sauce overnight or at least of few hours in the refrigerator.

2. In a pan, heat the olive oil over med-high heat. While the oil is heating, sprinkle some salt, pepper and sage on both sides of the pork, push down and then place on the pan. 

3. Cook about 5 minutes on the first side (until golden brown, try not to move it once it's on the pan) then flip over and cook another 5-10 minutes on the second side, lowering the heat and covering the pan with a lid until the pork is cooked through. 

4. While the pork is cooking, place the chopped onions in a new pan with some olive oil and cook for a few minutes until soft. 

5. Add in the cabbage and continuing cooking just until the cabbage begins to soften, but try not to overcook. Finish the cabbage off with a splash of the same vinegar used on the pork for the last 30 seconds of cooking. 

6. Once the pork is done, deglaze the pan with a few splashes of sherry vinegar to create a nice thick sauce for the pork.

7. Serve the cabbage on a plate, top with the finished pork chop and drizzle with extra sauce. Enjoy!

Lucky Black Eyed Pea Soup

Happy 2011! I hope everyone had a blast celebrating the new year and setting those infamous resolutions to start the year off on a good note.  I can't say that I intentionally set any specific goals for the next year, but I do hope to finish my grad program off strong, figure out my next career move, and have lots of fun new food adventures.  I've already been working on the latter, and for the next few weeks I will have a partner in crime in my kitchen, a.k.a. my boyfriend's sister, Emily. She's a 26 year old, incredible opera singer, who is in between performances right now, so she is staying with us in Baltimore while one of our other roommates is home for break. Emily is a ball of energy and not afraid to push my buttons and challenge me in the kitchen, so I can assure you that there will be some fun recipes and surprises over the next few weeks!

To honor my family's tradition of eating eating black eyed peas at the start of the new year for good luck, Emily and I made a hearty black eyed pea soup with chicken, brown rice, kale and lots of herbs and spices. This was the perfect soup to have after being out in the cold this afternoon watching the Ravens beat up on the Bengals. Playoffs- here we come... GO RAVENS! This soup's got everything you need for a healthy, satisfying meal in just one pot.  And if you make a big pot on Sunday then you can freeze the leftovers for ready-to-go meals throughout the next few weeks. 

LUCKY BLACK EYED PEA SOUP

Ingredients

2 cups dried black eyed peas

8 cups water

1/2 lb chicken breast

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 clove garlic

1 tblsp olive oil

1 bunch kale, washed and chopped

1-2 cups brown rice or grain blend

1 vegetable or chicken low-sodium bouillon cube (not a huge fan of these, but I do use them from time to time, as they are easy to keep on hand)

Herbs and spices: salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme, sage, red chili flakes, cayenne

Directions

1. Wash and sort the dried beans. Put them into a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 min.

2. Meanwhile, coat the chicken with a little bit of salt and pepper on both sides and cook in a pan with some olive oil. Chop or shred into small pieces and set aside.

3. In the same pan, heat a little bit more olive oil and cook the garlic, onions, carrots, celery with salt and pepper until softened. 

4. Once the beans have cooked for about 30 minutes or so and are nearly soft, add the cooked vegetables, shredded chicken, brown rice, kale bouillon cube, and the rest of the herbs and spices to taste.  Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes and adjust spices as needed. ENJOY!

Special thanks to my roommate Leann for being a taste tester of the soup! 

Chili Football Sunday

As I am writing this, I am watching one of the most anticipated football games of the season- Steelers vs. Ravens (round #2) and I can't wait to see the Ravens dominate yet again! I also just enjoyed one of the best bowls of chili I've ever made... inspired by the one and only Bobby Flay. I've been planning to make chili for a while now, but I waited to make it today because nothing goes better with football on a chilly (pun-intended) December night than a warm bowl of chili, ice cold beer and lots of friends :-) Only one minor detail I failed to mention is that my boyfriend, Matt, is a Steeler's fan (yuck!)... but he's a big chili fan so at least we can agree on one thing on game days.

Bobby Flay is a chili master, so I looked up his chili recipes and found this Beef and Black Bean Chili that I just couldn't resist; and I also happen to have some local, humanely raised ground beef in the freezer just calling my name. I usually pack my chili with lots of veggies and skip the meat, but tonight I decided to go true to beef recipe (using high quality, local beef, of course) to celebrate this big game night.  That being said, I can't follow a recipe exactly without changing a few ingredients here or there depending on what I have on hand, so here is my interpretation of Bobby Flay's recipe... the 'Alli Flay' way as my dad says.  This is a MUST-TRY chili recipe and worth the extra effort to find the right ingredients.

BOBBY FLAY'S BEEF AND BLACK BEAN CHILI

Ingredients:

2 tblsp olive oil
1.5 pounds local, humanely-raised
Salt/pepper
1 large onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 bottle beer (I used Yuengling, but use whatever you have!)
5 cups homemade chicken/veggie stock (or canned low-sodium or water)
1 (16-ounce) can organic diced tomatoes, drained and pureed

2 tblsp organic tomato paste
1 tablespoon chipotle pepper puree (I found a small can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the international foods section in Giant.. they are delicious, smoky and spicy) 
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups pre-soaked overnight dry black beans (If you are using cooked or canned black beans, don't add until last 15 minutes of cooking) 
Optional Toppings- Avocado, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, lime juice, etc. 

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, and saute until browned on all sides. Transfer the meat to a plate and remove all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the pan.

2.  Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook until soft (about 5-7min). 

3. Add the ancho chili powder and cumin, and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the beer and cook until completely reduced to about half of its original volume. 

4. Return the beef to the pot, add the stock, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, chipotle puree, and honey, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan, and simmer for about 60 minutes (If you are using cooked or canned beans, add them after about 45 minutes of simmering. 

5. Serve into a bowl and personalize toppings to your liking! Also perfect for dipping with tortilla chips. YUM! ENJOY AND GO RAVENS! 

Cranberries!

Even after all the cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving, I still can't get enough of cranberries during this time of year.  Cranberries are so festive, colorful and nutrient-rich, loaded with vitamin C and tons of antioxidants and phytonutrients.  They are anti-inflammatory, help support the immune system,  protect against UTIs and many cancers, and much more. Good excuses to keep eating those cranberries all winter long :-) That being said, I would try to stay away from the canned version (too loaded with sugar and who knows what) instead use fresh cranberries whenever possible (dried are also great and really convenient).  Here are two different recipes- the first using the last of my leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving (courtesy of my mommy!) and the second using fresh cranberries in a cornbread. So yummy! And I still have some fresh cranberries left over, so more recipes to come!

1. MASHED SWEET POTATOES WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE

Ingredients:

3-4 sweet potatoes

1 tblsp real butter

splash of milk

1/2 cup cranberry sauce

Directions: 

1. Wash the sweet potatoes, dice into small squares and steam in a large pot until soft (about 15-20min). 

2. Add butter and milk and mash together with a fork or potato masher.

3. Add in cranberry sauce and mix until well combined. Add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavor.

4. Serve as a side dish with your next meal and enjoy! I ate it with some sauteed kale with onions, which was such a delicious and colorful combination!

2. CRANBERRY CORNBREAD

Ingredients:

1 box store-bought cornbread mix (or make your own cornbread from scratch!) 

1 egg

1/3 cup almond milk (so delicious and a great dairy substitute, even in baking)

3/4 cup fresh cranberries, halved

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Follow instructions on back on box to make cornbread by adding egg and milk and mixing well.
3. Stir in cranberries and pour into a greased baking pan or muffin pan.

4. Bake about 12-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
5. When done, cut into squares and top with some real butter and a drizzle of local honey :-) Enjoy!

Pumpkin-Almond Bread

Have any leftover pureed pumpkin from all those pumpkin pies you've been making for tomorrow? Need a new idea for a fun pumpkin recipe to use up those leftovers? Yesterday I made my own pureed pumpkin from two little sugar pie pumpkins, which is really easy to do and worth the extra effort instead of using the canned version. I put aside what I needed to make two pumpkin pies for my family's Thanksgiving tomorrow, and I still had about a cup leftover, so I decided to make some sort of pumpkin bread. 

Now, if you know me or have ever seen me bake before, you know I'm not much of a precision baker.  I'm actually quite a hurricane in the kitchen, just throwing things in pots and pans, clutzing around, and saving all the cleaning for the end. I know that this may drive some people nuts, but it works for me and my food still tastes great. I know with baking you are supposed to properly measure each ingredient and follow the directions exactly; but I just don''t have the desire or patience to do that.  This method (or non-method) of baking doesn't work for everything, but for breads and muffins, it turns out just fine for me. I found a recipe for a healthy pumpkin bread online (HERE) that I adapted using a combination whole wheat flour and almond meal (just ground up almonds) from Trader Joe's. I also added some sliced almond to the batter, and topped it off with more sliced almonds and amaretti cookies for even more almond flavor. The bread turned out deliciously moist from the fresh pureed pumpkin and oh so flavorful with the extra hint of almond. A great, healthy twist on the traditional pumpkin bread!

Disclosure: I can't promise that these are the exact amounts of ingredients, but it should be pretty close. If you don't have almond meal, you can just use all whole wheat flour or half regular, half whole wheat. Any kind of nuts or dried fruits (even chocolate chips) would also work well. 

PUMPKIN-ALMOND BREAD

Ingredients 

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 large egg whites

1 cup fresh pureed pumpkin

1/4 cup canola oil

1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4-1cup almond meal

1.5 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup sliced almonds

Amaretti cookies, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan with a little bit of butter or oil.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar and egg whites, then add pumpkin, oil, yogurt and vanilla until well combined. 

3. In a smaller bowl, combine flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. 

4. Add dry mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined. Add in the almonds, reserving about a tablespoon or so to add on top. 

5. Pour batter into loaf pan. Top with remainder of the sliced almonds and chopped amaretti cookies. 

6. Bake about 45-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes before cutting into. Serve up some slices and enjoy!

Baked Carrot and Parsnip Chips

If you love potato chips or french fries or baked sweet potato fries, then you are going to LOVE these carrot and parsnip chips.  We all know and love carrots; but let me just say that eating real farm fresh carrots from a farmers' market is a whole different experience then eating those processed baby carrots from the grocery store.  And eating roasted carrots is an entirely different experience than eating them raw, which most of us are used to. Parsnips are also root vegetables and are closely related to carrots, but they are lighter in color and slightly sweeter in flavor.

http://www.bigoven.com/glossary/Parsnips

Parsnips are really high in potassium, and carrots are of course known for their Vitamin A (beta-carotene) content; and both have a slew of other vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Parsnips and carrots pair really well together and are great additions to soups and stews, or just on their own as in this dish.  These chips are extremely rich in flavor, so simple to prepare, and a great crowd pleaser.  You can just use your hands to pop them in your mouth like chips, but with less guilt (and even more flavor)!  Any of the root vegetables in season nowadays (turnips, carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, rutabagas, etc) are excellent baked as "chips" or "fries"... so think outside the box and add some new colors and flavors next time you go and grab that plain old white potato! 

BAKED CARROT AND PARSNIP CHIPS

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 medium carrots

1 parsnip

Olive oil

Salt/pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Peel the carrots and parsnip, and chop into thin slices (a mandoline works great here, if you have one, to get really thin slices. thinner=crispier!)

3. Arrange on a cookie sheet, trying not to overcrowd, and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.

4. Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring a couple times, until nice and golden brown and crunchy. 

5. Serve on a plate with your favorite dipping sauce (ketchup, dijon, thousand island, etc) or just plain. Enjoy.. and beware- once you pop, you just can't stop! 

Tofu and Cabbage Stir-fry

If you've been to a farmers' market recently, you've definitely noticed the abundance of cabbage in all shapes and sizes during this time of year. Cabbage, in the same family as broccoli and cauliflower, is a great bang for your buck because it's extremely cheap, yet packed with vitamin C, fiber and cancer-fighting compounds to keep you satisfied and healthy throughout the cold season.  I picked out a funky-looking cone-headed green cabbage and decided to stir-fry it up with some asian flare!

I know tofu tends to scare some people, and quite frankly sometimes it scares me too.  One the one-hand, tofu is a processed, white block of tasteless, who-knows-what; yet on the other hand, tofu is a chameleon-like, soybean-based product that is loaded with calcium and protein and that has been a staple of asian cuisine for hundreds of years.  I can't say that I use it all the time and know how to cook it optimally, but I pick it up from the store probably once every month or so and give it another try. It actually works pretty great in a stir-fry like this one, especially if you drain and press the tofu first.  Marinating the tofu overnight or several hours before also helps make the tofu more flavorful... I didn't marinate the tofu this time because I didn't plan ahead that well, but it still tasted pretty flavorful. Maybe I'll try marinating next time.

TOFU AND CABBAGE STIR-FRY 

INGREDIENTS:

1 tblsp sesame oil

1/2 block of organic, extra firm tofu, diced in small squares

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, diced (scallions work great also)

1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

2 tblsp soy sauce

Splash of rice vinegar

1 tsp ginger (preferably minced fresh, but powdered works also)

Optional: red chili flakes for an extra kick, toasted sesame seeds to top

DIRECTIONS:

1. Drain the tofu by putting it between several layers of paper towels or a kitchen towel, and press either with your hands or with a heavy pot until fairly dry.

2. Heat the sesame oil in a pan and add the tofu

3. Brown the tofu on both sides, about 3-4 minutes each side.

4. Once the tofu is done, add the remainder of the ingredients toss gently for about 8min or so until the cabbage is soft and everything is well incorporated. ENJOY!

Kale, White Bean and Tomato Soup

As much as I love making soups in the crock pot, sometimes I just don't plan well enough to get everything into the pot in the morning to have it ready when I get home.  So, on those days when I am really craving a warm bowl of soup, but it isn't waiting for me ready in the crock pot, I want something that I can throw together really quickly. I know it can be tempting to just grab can of pre-made soup from your pantry and throw a bowl of it into the microwave, but nothing can beat the taste and satisfaction of a bowl of homemade soup, especially if it can be made in less than 30minutes. This Kale, White Bean and Tomato soup is a deliciously hearty, seasonal, and healthy dish for this time of year as the nights get colder and all we want to do is curl up in a blanket with a bowl of soup. That is surely what I did last night; so much for getting any school work done! It was well worth it though, and I even had plenty of leftovers that I froze so that I can savor this soup all throughout the cold season.

KALE, WHITE BEAN, AND TOMATO SOUP

Ingredients:

1 tblsp olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 medium carrot, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bunch of kale (any kind will do), washed and chopped

2 15oz cans of organic, diced, no-salt added tomatoes

~2 cups (or 1 can) navy beans (or any white bean)

4-5 cups Vegetable (or chicken) stock, low sodium

Salt and pepper to taste

~ 2tsp each of dried Oregano & Thyme

Directions: 

1. In a large pot, saute the onions, garlic and carrot in olive oil on medium heat until soft, about 5min.

2. Add the kale, tomatoes (with liquid), beans, stock, and salt/pepper/herbs. Stir everything together.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for about 25-30minutes until flavors are well-incorporated and kale is soft. Add additional seasonings to taste.  ENJOY!

Roasted Kabocha Squash

This weekend I took a short road trip up to NYC to visit two of my very close friends from college. It was so great getting out of Baltimore for a day to experience a new city and catch up with friends who I don't get to see anymore! One of my favorite parts was getting to cook dinner with my friend, Val, who is also a huge foodie like me and a great cook. She and I, along with two other of our close friends, who shared our passion for food, cooked up some pretty extravagant meals throughout college in our tiny dorm and apartment kitchens. Some of my best memories from college involve cooking with my friends and sitting down around one table to share the food we all helped to make. Nothing is better than sharing a home-cooked meal with those you love.  So this post is dedicated to Val who introduced me to Kabocha squash and hosted me at her apartment for the night... and to Niki and Kayla who I wish could have have been there with us :-)

Now what the heck is Kabocha squash? Hey, I'm with you- It was totally new to me before this weekend, but now I can say for sure that this is a MUST-TRY Japanese variety of winter squash that you should be able to find at your local farmers' market this time of year.

It's very similar to butternut or acorn squash, but it has an even more bright orange-yellow color (hellooo beta-carotene!), a strong yet sweet flavor, and a moist texture kind of like a sweet potato.  The bright dark green skin is edible, which I was unsure about at first, but it definitely is. The skin gets soft when cooked and just has a slightly different texture; the squash takes great with and without the skin so it's up to you.  We just did a simple roast with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper- so tasty!

ROASTED KABOCHA SQUASH

Ingredients:
1 kabocha squash
olive oil
salt/pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash the squash, chop in half, scoop out the seeds (which you can save to roast!), and cut into thin slices.
3. Arrange the slices on a cookie sheet and toss in about 1tblsp or so of olive oil and salt/pepper.
4. Roast for about 20-30 minutes until soft and lightly golden brown. ENJOY!

Apple, Beet and Fennel Salad

This recipe is up there as one of my favorite fall dishes of all time.  I know many of you may be hesitant or weirded out by beets or fennel, let alone the thought of eating them together. But just bear with me and trust me that if you keep an open mind and are willing to try new flavor combinations, you will be pleasantly surprised. This is a delicious, simple, healthy, seasonal, fresh and extremely scrumptious recipe that will wow your palate and feed your soul.

Many people have been scared by beets after being forced to eat pickled beets as a child, but in my experience, after people try freshly boiled or roasted beets for the first time, they genuinely enjoy them. These colorful root vegetables in season nowadays are sweet and satisfying, not to mention packed with powerful phytonutrients that help protect against heart disease and cancers. I know you've heard to eat a variety of colors everyday; well, beets are a great place to start. And by the way, the greens are absolutely edible- just cook them up with some olive oil, onions and garlic, and you have a great side dish on the table in no time. Check these babies out:

Now to the fennel. Fennel is a fantastically flavorful vegetable with a white bulb and green feathery stalks, all of which are edible and fresh from the autumn through spring.  Fennel is so unique with its subtle licorice flavor, slight sweetness and superior crunchiness. It's also loaded with vitamin C, potassium and folate, while being extremely low in calories and high in fiber. It pairs really well with beets, apples and oranges, as you'll see with this dish. Seriously, you HAVE to try it!

APPLE, BEET AND FENNEL SALAD

Ingredients

3-4 medium beets

1 large fennel bulb

1 apple

1/4cup orange juice (fresh is best, but whatever you have)

1 tsp olive oil

2-3 tblsp fennel frawns, chopped (dill would also be good)

salt/pepper to taste

optional- goat cheese would be fantastic with this salad!

Directions

1. Wash the beets well and boil for about 30min or until soft enough to fork

2. Meanwhile, peel the outer layer off of the fennel bulb, cut in half and chop into thin slices.

3. Wash the apple and chop into small pieces and add to the fennel slices.

4. Once beets are cooked, let them cool and then rub the skins off. Chop into bite-size pieces.

5. Combine with the fennel and apple, add orange juice, fennel frawns, salt and pepper to taste.

Yes, once combined, the beets will turn the entire salad pink.. how fun! 

This picture doesn't even do justice to how beautiful and festive this dish is... I'm not much of a photographer and my iPhone camera, though great, doesn't really have the same effect as a regular camera. And quite frankly, I would rather eat the food than take pictures of it, so I do apologize if my pictures don't make you drool over the food like most food pictures in magazines or online. I'll work on it!