Winter Minestrone Stew

My apologies for the long absence since my last post! Between traveling for Thanksgiving, our two-week honeymoon to Australia and New Zealand, and Christmas, I haven't been as active in creating or posting recipes. This soup I actually threw together the day after we got back from our honeymoon. We loved the food in New Zealand (I gained a lot of inspiration for food/flavor combinations that I am looking forward to experimenting with) but after two weeks of 3-course dinners every night, we were ready for a healthy but hearty meal. This technically is not a minestrone soup since it doesn't contain pasta, but the flavors are very similar. Plus, given how stocked full of vegetables that this stew is, I couldn't even fit pasta in it if I wanted to! This is now my favorite way to make minestrone and the best part is it tastes even better the next day. I am presenting this recipe a little bit differently to make preparing it the most efficient - chopping certain components as you go along rather than all ahead of time.

Winter Minestrone Soup
Serves 6-8

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Extra virgin olive oil
1 onion
4 ribs celery
3 carrots
1 bunch red or rainbow chard
4 cloves garlic
1 T. tomato paste
28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (such as San Marzano)
4 c. low-sodium vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1/2 Savoy cabbage
Parmesan rind (optional)
15 oz. can cannellini beans
15 oz. can red kidney beans
Kosher salt
Pepper
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Dice the onion, celery, and carrots. In a large dutch oven or stock pot (I used a 5.5 qt dutch oven and just barely fit everything), heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and season with 1/2 t. kosher salt and 1/8 t. pepper.

Meanwhile, separate the chard ribs/stems from the leaves. Dice the ribs/stems and set the leaves aside. Add the chard stems to the pot, stir to combine, and saute until softened, about 10 minutes.

Mince the 4 cloves of garlic and add the garlic to the pot, cooking for 2-3 minutes more.

Add the 1 T. tomato paste, stirring to combine. Add the can of tomatoes, vegetable stock, and the bay leaves. Bring the heat up until the soup reaches a low boil.

Meanwhile, chop the chard leaves into thin strips. Add to the pot, stirring to incorporate. While the chard is wilting down in the pot, remove the core from the 1/2 head of cabbage and also cut into thin strips. Add to the pot, stirring to incorporate, as well as the parmesan rind, if using.

Add 1 T. kosher salt and 1/2 t. pepper. Reduce heat to simmer and let simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Rinse and drain the beans, add them to the pot, and simmer, covered, for an additional 15 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning - I found that I needed to add another 1/2 t. kosher salt. You may also want to try to break up a few of the whole tomatoes with a wooden spoon if they have not done so naturally through the cooking process.

Ladle into bowls and top with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Pappardelle with Red Chard and Wild Mushroom Ragu

If you're looking for a way to break out of the standard marinara sauce and penne dinner, try this recipe. The mushroom and red swiss chard combined with crushed tomatoes create a thick and wonderful ragu that I think is perfect atop pappardelle pasta. However, if you can't find pappardelle, really any pasta would work well - fettuccine, rigatoni, or even penne.  This recipe only calls for a few ingredients and other than a little bit of chopping, is easy and relatively fast to make.

Pappardelle with Red Chard and Wild Mushroom Ragu
Serves 4
Prep time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min

Extra virgin olive oil
12 oz. fresh or dried pappardelle (wide flat pasta)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. mixed mushrooms - I used 1/2 lb. cremini, 1/4 lb. oyster, and 1/4 lb. shitake mushrooms, chopped into small (~1/4-1/2'' pieces)
1 bunch red swiss chard, cut into very thin strips
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Heat a large pot of salted water over high heat for the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat 1 t. olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1/2 of the garlic and cook 15-30 seconds, then add the chard, stirring often until wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside in a bowl.

Add 1 T. olive oil to the same pan over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and cook 15-30 seconds, then add the mushrooms and saute, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the reserved chard (leaving any liquid behind) to the skillet and stir to incorporate. Bring the mixture up until it starts to bubble and then simmer.

Add the pasta to the boiling water. If using fresh pasta just let the sauce simmer for the short time the pasta is cooking, or if using dried, you can just simmer the sauce a little longer. Taste the sauce and adjust for seasoning. I added 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper.

When the pasta is done, drain and serve the sauce/ragu on top of the pasta. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if you'd like.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon-Pear Compote

I whipped up these pancakes this past weekend while my sister was visiting. She mentioned that she had roasted a pumpkin and used the puree for a number of things - pumpkin gnocchi (I will have to attempt this later), pumpkin pie, and pumpkin pancakes. While I didn't have time to roast a pumpkin in time to make this recipe (I used canned pure pumpking puree), you could make your own pumpkin puree by taking the stem off of a sugar or cinderella pumpkin, cutting it in half, roasting it at 350 degrees for about an hour and a half, and then scooping out the insides into a food processor or blender to puree. You can also freeze the puree for up to six months.

This recipe would be great for a Thanksgiving breakfast, or for any time in the fall or winter. I used my favorite, easy pancake recipe which uses ingredients I normally always have on hand - whole wheat and regular flour, baking soda & powder, eggs, and honey, and just added pureed pumpkin and some spices. They were so delicious and we gobbled them down so fast that I didn't remember to take a picture!

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon-Pear Compote
Serves 4 (3 pancakes each)

Dry ingredients:
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. nutmeg

Wet ingredients:
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. low fat milk (add up to a 1/4 c. more if it seems too thick)
2 T. honey
1/2 c. pumpkin puree - fresh or canned

For the pear compote:
4 pear halves (canned - without added sweetener - or fresh and very ripe), cut into thin slices
1 T. butter
1 T. pure maple syrup
1/2 t. cinnamon
small pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, using a whisk or fork. With a separate whisk, combine the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk just until combined.

Heat the butter over medium-low heat in a small skillet. Add the pears stir, then add the maple syrup, cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occassionally, until the pancakes are ready, reducing to a low simmer if they are well softened before the pancakes are ready.

Meanwhile, ladle the pancake batter using a 1/4 c. measure onto a heated griddle. Cook in batches, transferring the finished pancakes to a sheet pan or serving dish in the oven to stay warm. Serve topped with the pear compote, maple syrup, and butter (if desired).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Spaghetti Squash Gratin

Spaghetti squash is the first squash that my husband was willing to try when we were dating. It's a good squash to serve to people who might not think that they love squash - and my husband now loves all varieties! We normally serve spaghetti squash as a side dish, roasted and served simply with a little bit of butter, some parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. However, after picking one up at the farmer's market this past week (spaghetti squash can also be found at most grocery stores) I wanted to try something different with it and was inspired by a recipe in the New York Times. It certainly tastes like comfort food but with a healthy spin on it.  Plus, it looks beautiful coming out of the oven! We served it as a main dish with a green salad.

Spaghetti Squash Gratin
Serves 4 as a main, 6-8 as a side
Active Time: ~30 min
Total Time: ~1 hr 15 min

Extra virgin olive oil
1 spaghetti squash
1 large red onion or 2-3 large cipollini onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 eggs
1 c. low-fat (2%) milk
1/2 c. packed fresh basil, cut into a chiffonade
1 t. fresh thyme, finely chopped
4 oz. feta, crumbled
1 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the squash in half lengthwise (I find it helps to microwave it for a minute first), scoop out the seeds, and place it cut side down on a sheet pan or roasting pan (with sides). Fill the bottom of the pan with about a 1/4'' of water, or enough to coat the bottom of the pan and touch the sides of the squash. Bake for 45 minutes. Keep the oven on at 400 degrees.

Meanwhile, after the squash has been baking for about 20 minutes, thinly slice the onion(s) and mince the garlic cloves. I used these beautiful large cipollini onions from the farmer's market that were about the size of one red onion when put together, but you can definitely just use a red onion (or yellow if you don't have red). Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and saute until golden brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes, adding the garlic after 15 minutes.

When the squash is done, remove it from the oven, turn the squash halves cut side up, and use a fork to loosen the squash strands. Scoop out the strands and add them to the skillet with the onions, stirring to combine. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash softens a little more. Season with 1/2 t. salt and 1/8 t. pepper

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk, then stir in the basil, thyme, and feta. Add the squash and onion mixture and stir to combine. Grease a large oval gratin pan or similar large baking dish and fold in the squash mixture. Cover with the parmesan cheese, pressing down lightly on the cheese to moisten slightly. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

I love creating healthy and hearty soups. Sweet potatoes are something that you might not normally find in soup, or in chili for that matter, but it works so well combined with these tomatoes, beans, and spices. We are getting into the season where sweet potatoes and other root vegetables are at their peak, so I'm always looking for new ways to use them.  This chili will please even guys who are used to meat and bean chili - it's hearty, spicy, and satisfying.

I used 2 serrano chiles here - one seeded and one left with the seeds left in - and found that it was the perfect amount of heat for me (if akin to salsa this would be medium spicy). However, if you like less heat, take the seeds out of both chiles, or if you like more heat, leave them all in. I cooked the sweet potatoes in the chili by simmering it for over an hour, but to cut down on the cooking time, you could either a) cook the sweet potatoes in the oven the night before, let cool, peel, cut up and throw in the soup, or b) peel, cut, and roast the sweet potatoes in the oven while the soup is simmering and add them in later - in either case you'd still want to simmer the soup for at least minutes once you add the potatoes to let the flavors come together.

Bean and Sweet Potato Chili
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 yellow onion, roughly diced
1 large pasilla pepper, diced
2 serrano chiles, 1 seeded and 1 left with the seeds in, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. ancho chile powder
2 t. ground cumin
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2'' pieces
1 28 oz. (or two 15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 c. vegetable broth
1 15 oz. can pinto beans
1 15 oz. can black beans

Heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven or stockpot. Add the onion, pepper, chiles, and garlic and saute until softened, about 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and cut the potatoes into approximately 1/2'' pieces (not too big or they will take a long time to cook). Add the potatoes, chile powder, and cumin to the pot and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the diced and crushed tomatoes, vegetable browth and beans and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer, and let cook for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are fork tender.
If you'd like, serve with a dollop of sour cream, cheese, or some cilantro to top it off.

Baked Gnocchi with Beets, Chickpeas, and Feta

After traveling this weekend and going for a long run on Sunday evening (I'm training for the Stinson Beach 25K trail race on November 13, http://www.pctrailruns.com/) I came up with this dish from the ingredients we had around the house and they worked together wonderfully. I had a combination of golden and red beets, but would suggest using all golden beets to avoid this turning a pink color when you dish it up - although we enjoyed it regardless. This is an easy recipe that only calls for a few ingredients and is both healthy and filling at the same time.

Baked Gnocchi with Beets, Chickpeas, and Feta
Serves 4

Extra virgin olive oil
16 oz. gnocchi (I used pre-made gnocchi, but if you want to make your own, go for it!)
1 lb. beets (see note above, I would suggest golden beets), peeled and cut into 3/4'' to 1'' chunks
15 oz. can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
4 oz. feta
1 c. vegetable stock/broth
1/2 lemon
Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the peeled and cut beets with 1 t. olive oil and place in a large oval gratin dish or other large baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, drain and rinse the chickpeas and set aside. Heat 1 t. olive oil in a large skillet. Add the gnocchi and saute until lightly golden, about 6 minutes. Set aside.

Remove the dish with the beets from the oven and add the chickpeas and gnocchi to the pan. Pour the 1 c. vegetable broth over the dish. Crumble the feta over the mixture. Squeeze the 1/2 lemon over the dish, then drizzle 1 T. olive oil over the mixture. Sprinkle 1/4 t. black pepper over the dish, and put back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes. Spoon into pasta bowls or plates and serve.

Mushroom, Wild Rice, and Brown Rice Soup

We had a busy weekend this past weekend with Stanford Homecoming and several guests in town. While we had a blast, we were pretty exhausted by the end and wanted a healthy but comforting and relatively easy dinner on Sunday night. I often make bean soups but we didn't feel like it this time so I played off of one of my other favorite kinds of soup - mushroom and wild rice - to come up with this recipe. Many mushroom wild rice soups are cream-based, but this uses vegetable broth. As the mushrooms simmer into the vegetable broth they also impart a nice earthy mushroomy flavor to the broth. This soup only calls for a few ingredients, which is great when you don't have much in the fridge. Carrots, celery, and onion are aromatics, and they are often used in soup to develop a base of flavor. They are also known as "mirepoix" in French cooking. I also used a combination of wild and brown rice in this soup - I like the two textures together. Both of these whole grains are good for you, and wild rice actually has more protein than brown rice.

This would also be a great soup for if you feel like you're coming down with a cold - it is so warming.

Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
Serves 6

Extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, large diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch celery, large diced
4 large carrots, large diced
6 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 c. wild rice, rinsed
1/2 c. brown basmati or jasmine rice, rinsed
16-20 oz. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Heat 1 T. of the olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven or stockpot. Add the onion and garlic and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add to carrots and celery to the pot and saute for an additional 3-4 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and bay leaves and bring to a low boil. Add the wild rice, brown rice, 1 t. kosher salt, and 1/2 t. pepper, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes. Add the mushroooms, re-cover and simmer for an additional 30 minutes, stirring occassionally. Taste for seasoning - I found that I needed an additional 1 t. salt and 1/4 t. black pepper. Discard the bay leaves and serve.

This soup was also great for leftovers. Reheat with some additional vegetable stock or water - the rice will absorb more of the liquid as it keeps.

Garnet Yam, Black Bean, and Rainbow Chard Enchiladas

I was having my good friend Sara over last night and wanted to make her something especially wonderful for dinner. She loves fall flavors like yams and sweet potatoes but also loves Mexican food. I have developed a great vegetarian enchiladas recipe that I make in the summer with corn and summer squash, and thought, why not make the fall version? The combination of yams, chard, black beans, and queso fresco in the filling is so good, we had no problem polishing off 2 enchiladas each. This recipe does take a little time because you have to roast the yams first and then assemble the enchiladas, but you could always roast the yams a day ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to make the dish, or make the entire thing a day ahead of time and just pop it in the oven when you're ready to serve it.

Garnet Yam, Black Bean, and Rainbow Chard Enchiladas
Serves 4-6

Extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 T. flour

2 c. low-sodium vegetable stock

15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes with chiles (you could also use canned fire-roasted or plain diced tomatoes and add a small can of green chiles)

1 T. ancho chili powder

1 ½ t. ground cumin

4 oz. queso fresco (Mexican cheese)

15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 lb. garnet yams (about 3 medium or 2 large yams), peeled and cut into ¾’’ pieces

1 bunch rainbow or swiss chard, leaves only, rinsed and roughly chopped (save the stems for another use - coming soon!)

8 whole wheat tortillas

4 oz. pepper jack cheese, grated

Light sour cream, for topping (optional)

Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the cut yams in a large bowl with 2 t. olive oil and season with ½ t. salt. Transfer the yams to a baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Roast the yams until tender, approximately 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the enchilada sauce. Heat 2 T. olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds. Add 3 T. of flour to the pan and whisk together with the garlic and olive oil. Continue whisking and cook for about another 30 seconds or a minute more to allow the mixture to cook a little. Gradually add in the 2 cups of vegetable stock, whisking constantly to ensure a smooth consistency. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the diced tomatoes and their juices, chili powder, and cumin. If using low-sodium stock, add 1 t. of kosher salt. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes to thicken a little, stirring occasionally.

Heat 1 t. olive oil in a large sauté pan or stockpot over medium heat. Add the chard, cover, and cook for approximately 5 minutes or until chard is wilted, stirring occasionally. Season with 1/4 t. kosher salt and set aside in the bowl you used for the yams.

When the yams are done, pull them out, and decrease the temperature of the oven to 375°F. In the large bowl containing the chard, add the black beans (drained), cooked yams, and queso fresco cheese, crumbling as you add it. Stir together to combine. This is the filling for the enchiladas.

Put the stack of tortillas in between two sheets of dampened paper towel on a plate and microwave for approximately 1-2 minutes or until warm. This will make it easier to assemble the enchiladas. Grate the pepper jack cheese if you have not already done so.

Grease a large rectangular baking dish (I used a 4.5 qt Pyrex, one size larger than a 13x9x2 but use whatever you have that you think you can fit 8 enchiladas into). Get all of the components in one area for easy assembly (the baking pan, the filling mixture, the tortillas, the saucepan with the sauce, and a plate). To begin, spread approximately ½ cup of the sauce on the bottom of the baking dish to lightly coat it. Begin filling the tortillas one at a time. I do this by placing one tortilla on a plate, then scooping out 1 cup of the filling mixture and putting it along the middle of the tortilla. Then, roll up the tortilla as tightly as you can (no need to fold in the edges) and put it in the baking dish, starting with one edge, and repeating this process until all 8 tortillas are packed tightly together in the pan.

Top the tortillas with the remaining sauce, spreading the sauce around to cover the tortillas as well as possible. Top with the pepper jack cheese.

Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes, until the dish is bubbly and cheese is melted. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if you’d like.

If you made this recipe ahead of time and had it in the fridge, take it out of the fridge while the oven is preheating and cook for approximately 50 minutes.

Hearty Vegetable Bean Soup

It was a rainy day on Sunday in the Bay Area, which made it a perfect day for soup. I decided to try using dried beans, which turned out to be much easier than I expected. You can find much more variety in dried beans than canned, and they have this wonderful sort of al dente bite to them when cooked, versus canned beans which can be a little mushy. Having said this, I have shown how to modify the recipe below if you are in a rush and want to use canned. All it took to use the dried beans was to throw them in a pot with some water in the morning and let them sit until I made the soup that evening. Then, you just simmer the soup for longer than you would with canned beans, which is usually fine with me on Sunday evening as I'm usually at home preparing for work for the week. Another great thing about this soup is that it makes a big pot and tastes arguably even better over the next few days as leftovers.

Hearty Vegetable Bean Soup
Serves 6-8

16 oz. flageolet beans or other dried bean of your choice
(alternatively use two 15 oz. cans cannellini beans)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2-3 leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 carrots, cut into 1/2'' pieces
28 oz. can San Marzano plum tomatoes
4 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
1 small bunch or about 10 springs fresh thyme
(really try to use fresh thyme - it's important to the flavor of the soup)
2 bay leaves
2 t. kosher salt
1 t. pepper
1 bunch kale or swiss chard (I used lacinato kale)

If using dried beans, soak for at least 4 hours or overnight (I just soaked them starting in the late morning and cooked the soup the same evening). When ready to make the soup, drain and rinse the beans.

In a large dutch oven or pot, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, leeks, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Saute until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the carrots and the can of tomatoes (plus their juices) and stir to combine. Add the dried beans or canned if using. Add the vegetable stock and the whole thyme sprigs and bay leaves (the thyme leaves will just dissolve off of the branches as the soup cooks). Add 1 t. kosher salt and 1/2 t. of the pepper. Bring the soup to a low boil, then cover and simmer for 2 hours if using dried beans or 30 minutes to 1 hour if using canned beans, stirring occasionally (the more time the better!).  About 30 minutes before the soup is done (1 1/2 hours into the simmering process for dried beans, anywhere from right away to 30 minutes later for canned beans, depending on how long you're planning to simmer it), add the kale or swiss chard and stir well into the soup to combine. Recover and simmer for the remaining time. Taste for seasoning - I found that since I used low-sodium broth and it was a large pot of soup, I needed an additional 1 t. kosher salt and 1/2 t. pepper.

We liked this soup on its own but it was especially delicious with some grated or shaved parmesan cheese on the top!

Coconut Carrot Bread

With the weather cooling off this weekend, I felt like baking and wanted to create a quick bread to have as an afternoon snack or in the morning with coffee. I love carrot cake, and this incorporates some of the flavors of carrot cake but in a much healthier version. It's very easy to make and the walnuts and coconut flakes give it a nice texture, but if you're not a nut person you can always omit those. I like this best served warm with a little butter.

Coconut Carrot Bread

1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. honey
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 1/2 c. carrots (about 3 medium), grated
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes (plus a little extra for the top)
1/2 c. walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Put the walnuts in a small skillet and toast over low heat.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the olive oil and honey together, then add the applesauce, whisking to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until well incorporated.

In a medium-sized bowl, add the dry ingredients - whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg - and whisk with another whisk or a fork until well combined.

Chop the walnuts into small pieces when they are done toasting. Add the grated carrots and cocunut flakes to the wet ingredients and stir with a spoon. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated. Fold in the walnuts.

Pour the batter into a greased 9'' loaf pan and top with some more of the coconut flakes. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out relatively clean.

Pumpkin, Feta, Walnut, and Sage Pasta

Pumpkin is one of my favorite flavors that really represents the coming of fall. I have actually never cooked fresh pumpkin before, and was pleasantly rewarded when I put together this dish! My inspiration came from this gorgeous sugar pumpkin at the farmer's market this weekend - however, I have also seen sugar pumpkins at our local supermarket, so you don't have to go to the farmer's market to make this dish. Sugar pumpkins are in between the size of smaller decorative pumpkins (which are inedible) and the larger pumpkins that you use to make jack-o-lanterns. The combination of the flavors of pumpkin, feta, walnuts, and sage is fantastic. It's also a pretty easy recipe - the hardest part is probably peeling the pumpkin, which isn't that difficult. You could use a vegetable peeler but I found just peeling it with a knife was easiest.

 

Pumpkin, Feta, Walnut, and Sage Pasta

Serves 4

Extra virgin olive oil

1 sugar pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1'' pieces

1 T. + 1 t. chopped fresh sage leaves

1 cup walnuts

4 oz. feta cheese

12 oz. short whole wheat pasta, such as shells

Kosher salt

Pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel and cut the pumpkin and toss in a large bowl with 1 T. of the chopped sage leaves, 1 T. of extra virgin olive oil, and 1/2 t. salt. Roast for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a small skillet over low heat. I always used to roast nuts over high heat to get them done quicker, but after about 10 batches of burnt nuts, learned that it's better to do it over slow heat for slightly longer. It doesn't take too long - about 10 minutes. Still, keep an eye on them and stir occasionally. Once they are fragrant and lightly browned, remove from the pan, set aside, and roughly chop the nuts. 

Once the pumpkin is getting closer to being done, prepare the pasta. I like using shell shapes here because it holds onto the pumpkin, feta, and walnuts nicely. 

When the pasta is almost done, heat 2 T. of extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat, and add the remaining 1 t. sage. Let this warm together for a minute or so and turn off the heat. 

Remove the pumpkin from the oven. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 c. pasta water first. 

In a large bowl, combine the roasted pumpkin, pasta, and walnuts, and crumble the feta over the top. Pour the reserved pasta water and sage-infused olive oil over the mixture, add 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper, and stir to blend well. To serve, crumble a little more feta over each dish, if desired.

This is one of my favorite things I've made, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Happy Fall!

Chickpea Curry

As I've been trying to cook more vegetarian dishes, I've found myself branching out towards making more curry dishes and experimenting with spices, which can really add dimension to dishes that don't have meat. Whatever I make also has to be guy-friendly and satisfying enough to appease my husband, Adam. This is one of our favorite curry dishes, made with chickpeas (garbanzo beans), potatoes, tomatoes, and lots of spices. We serve it over brown basmati or jasmine rice for a more filling meal and I top it with a quick yogurt-cucumber sauce, which creates a nice creamy texture when stirred into the curry, while the cucumber adds freshness.

Chickpea Curry
Serves 4

Extra virgin olive oil
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth/stock
3/4 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2'' dice
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. ginger, minced (you could substitute ~1 t. of ground ginger but fresh is so much better)
1 t. cumin
1 t. ground coriander
1 t. dried red chili flakes
1/2 t. turmeric
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper

1 c. brown jasmine or basmati rice, uncooked

1 c. plain non-fat yogurt
1/4 c. diced cucumber
pinch of salt and pepper

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan and add the rice. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until water is absorbed, approximately 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and a pinch of salt cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, cumin, coriander, chile flakes, tumeric, and cayenne pepper, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chickpeas and potatoes, and stir to coat with the spices. Add the diced tomatoes and vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and let simmer vigorously for approximately 20 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender. Season with the salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, combine the yogurt, cucumber, salt and pepper in a small bowl. When the curry and rice are done, spoon a little of the rice into a bowl or plate and top with the curry and a dollop of the yogurt-cucumber mixture.

Green Ginger Iced Tea

It's supposed to be 94 degrees today in the Peninsula today as this early fall heat wave is continuing. Iced tea is one of my favorite drinks and a great refresher when it's sweltering outside. However, I haven't found many iced teas that I like from the grocery store and recently have been experimenting with making my own, which I have found is both easy and much more economical. Here's one of my favorites, which combines green tea, delivering a great source of antioxidants, and ginger tea, which helps encourage a healthy digestive system. This also would be comforting served warm in the winter.

Green Ginger Iced Tea
2 tea bags green tea
2 tea bags ginger tea (such as Yogi Tea, which can be found at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and most grocery storess)
8 cups water
3 T. honey

Fill a tea pot or regular saucepan filled with 4 cups water. Bring the water up until it's steaming but not boiling (boiling water can make green tea taste bitter). Put the 2 green tea and 2 ginger tea bags in a pitcher (I like kinds that have a lid so that I can easily store it in the fridge for longer periods of time). Pour the steaming water over the tea bags and let steep for approximately 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags with tongs and stir in approximately 3 T. honey (you can add more or less depending on how sweet you want it - I just like a little). Pour another 4 cups cold water into the pitcher and either serve immediately over ice or place in the fridge to cool completely.

Stay cool!

Whole Wheat Pasta with Kale, Carmelized Onions & Parsnips

While we are having a warm early October in the Bay Area (it was in the mid-80s this weekend), I can't help getting into the mood for fall. Squash, pumpkins, autumn greens, and root vegetables are starting to pop up at our local farmer's market in Menlo Park. I wanted to make something for dinner that was a little lighter given the warm weather while incorporating some fall ingredients.

I ended up adapting this recipe from one I found by Jeanne Kelley, substituting whole wheat pasta to amp up the protein and adding chanterelle mushrooms, which is optional, but were available at the farmer's market for a very reasonable price. I used baby parsnips that were available at the market, but you can find regular parsnips at the grocery store, and I used lacinato kale, which I think has the best texture for this recipe, but any variety of kale would be fine.

Pasta with Kale, Carmelized Onions, and Parsnips

Serves approx. 4 people

Extra virgin olive oil

Approx. 1 lb. parsnips, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/3'' slices

1 large red onion (or 2 small), thinly sliced

1 T. chopped fresh thyme or 1 t. dried thyme

4 garlic cloves, roughly minced

1/2 c. dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)

1 large bunch kale, chopped (discard ends of stems)

1/2 c. vegetable broth (or if you don't have any on hand, use an additional 1/4 c. wine and 1/4 c. water)

8 to 12 oz. whole wheat penne (depending on how big of eaters you are - I used approx. 3 cups of dried penne which was enough for a hearty dinner and leftovers the next day)

3/4 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (freshly grated or shaved)

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

2 c. chanterelle mushrooms, roughly chopped (optional)

Heat 1 T. of the olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add parsnips to pan and cook approximately 10 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring occassionally, and season with a pinch of salt. Place in a large bowl (which you'll use to mix all of the ingredients together later) and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat another 1 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt (which helps the onions cook down) and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until tender and golden brown.

Start the water for the pasta and salt the pasta water generously. Cook pasta according to directions.

Meanwhile, Stir in the thyme and garlic to the pan with the onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occassionally. Add white wine to pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes until liquid is almost all absorbed. Stir in the kale and broth (or wine/water) and cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until kale is tender, stirring once or twice. Uncover and reduce heat to low, cooking another 4 minutes or so until kale is very tender, stirring occassionally. Season with salt and pepper.

If using chanterelle mushrooms, in the pan used for the parsnips, melt 1 t. butter over medium heat. Saute the mushrooms for approximately 3-4 minutes or until tender and season with salt and pepper.

Reserve 3/4 c. of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. The cooking water will help bind all of the ingredients together and create a sauce. Add the pasta to the large bowl with the parsnips and add the kale and onion mixture as well as the mushrooms, if using. Add 1/2 c. of the cheese, 1 t. salt, and 1/2 t. pepper, and pour the pasta water over the mixtures, stirring well to combine. Serve with additional Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Enjoy!