Many happy mediums

No, this post is not about mediums (i.e., psychics) or forms of media (tv, radio, etc.).  This is a recipe that can please a variety of cooks: those looking for vegan dishes, cooks with two left thumbs (or no thumbs), paleo dishes (which incorporates gluten-free cooking), and "good for a crowd" cooks. 

The mister and me participated in an interesting nutrition challenge from mid-September through mid-October. Short version of the story: the mister followed a paleo lifestyle while I embraced a gluten-free and sugar-free lifestyle.  Since I am the main cook at home, all dinners were prepared using paleo recipes. 

At the end of the challenge, we decided to embrace these choices at the end of the nutrition challenge.  That is...except for beer. 

It had been a bit of time since we had enjoyed an all-veggie dinner, and I saw this recipe while looking for a way to use butternut squash.  I really like butternut squash, but that's because someone else prepares it.  This one almost looked TOO easy, I had to try it.  So, here goes nothin'...

Ingredients:
- leeks or onions, about 1/4 cup diced
- carrots; three, peeled and chopped
- garlic; a couple of cloves smashed and chopped
- butternut squash; about 2 - 2.5 cups, peeled and cubed
- spices: cumin, ancho chili powder, cinnamon, curry powder, nutmeg; I suggest 1 teaspoon of each, with the exception of the nutmeg--just do 1/2 teaspoon
- 2.5 c. stock (veggie, chicken, beef, it makes no difference)
- 1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 15 oz can full-fat coconut milk
- a generous amount of kale, cut into thin ribbons; I covered an entire dishtowel with kale. You can NEVER have too much kale! 

Steps:

1. Bring your burner to medium and coat a large dutch oven with olive oil and add the leeks/onions, carrots, and garlic and saute until soft (about 5 min)

2. Add butternut squash and coat with spices, saute for 3 minutes

3. Pour in stock and can of tomatoes, mix well and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes

4. Add can of coconut milk, and kale; simmer until kale is wilted (about 5 minutes)

5. EAT DINNER!

6. Enjoy leftovers the next day.

Notes: To make this dish with more "heft," you could add small meatballs (lamb or beef, or a combo) while the soup is simmering for 20 minutes.  Alternatively, if you wanted to add more veggie/vegan options add a can of garbanzo beans.  Like I said, this recipe pleases many and can be adapted for many different lifestyles. 

It was divine and fed us for several days.

I made dinner and the papparazzi forgot to show up.

As I posted earlier this week, the mister and me are participating a nutrition challenge for 30 days (September 16 - October 16).  Since we've moved away from gluten and legumes, many of our dinners have seen an increase in meats and greens.  It felt like I haven't made an all-vegetarian dinner for some time, so I did on this night.  I also had a smattering of foods that I half-prepped over the weekend and wanted to use:
- mushrooms from Oley Valley Mushrooms
- sweet potatoes from the LFFC CSA share
- chard from the raised beds
- beets from the raised beds (I harvested all of them on Sunday--see below and roasted them whole for later use)

So, this evening I decided to get creative. While sweet potatoes were wrapped in foil in the toaster oven and cooking, I began prepping the rest of dinner--scrubbing and cutting the mushrooms, removing the peels from the beets (it was super easy after roasting them the day before), and the mister helped me by chopping and rinsing the chard. 

I grabbed my two Le Creuset pans (the frying pan and the large sauté pan).  In both, I put about a teaspoon of ghee.  In essence, ghee is clarified butter; baked slow and low so that the milk solids are removed from the butter.  It is incredible to cook with and does not have the oxidization that occurs when heating EVOO to high temps.  

In the frying pan, I added the mushrooms and allowed them to cook on low until they were nice and browned.  It takes 10 minutes or so. 

In the large sauté pan, I added some sage to the melted ghee and let those flavors mix for a minute. Then, I added some chopped walnuts to toast them (let the walnuts get warm for about 2-3 minutes).  From there, I added 4 or 5 large beets (chopped into 1" pieces) and let them warm through.  At that point, I topped the pan with chard and put the lid on to wilt the greens.  After 5 minutes, I grabbed my silicone spatula and made sure to mix the beets and greens.  Once the greens were wilted, I was ready to put everything on our plates.  

We ate the mushrooms separately with just a touch of salt and pepper. They were divine!  I got more creative with the second half of the dinner -- and warned the mister that I was doing so.  I took the sweet potato out of the toaster oven, removed the skins, and mashed it in my bowl.  I then topped the sweet potatoes with the beet/chard/walnut mixture and added a dash of EVOO.  It was a terrific mixture of flavors and the mister followed suit and prepared his plate the same way.  

Problem is, I never took a picture of our dinner. The paparazzi were slacking this evening.  I will likely make this dinner again and promise to post a picture.  

Dinner was gluten-free and vegetarian. A quick swap of EVOO for the ghee would make this dinner vegan. 

Lamb meatballs with Moroccan-inspired stew

I am lucky to have regular access to Philadelphia's renowned Reading Terminal Market.  A new booth opened up over the summer--Border Springs Farm--and it specializes in pasture-raised lamb. They have both prepared foods and items from the butcher. I opted for a pound of ground lamb to take home and create something.  Other than making the occasional lamb burger, I rarely cook with lamb.  The good news is that it cooks at the same rate as ground beef.

The mister and I are participating in a 30 day nutrition challenge.  I'm avoiding gluten and sugar; he's doing the same, and he's also avoiding dairy. The focus of this challenge is to build a diet mostly of leafy greens and veggies (limited starches) and proteins.  

So, I scoured my many cookbooks looking for a ground lamb recipe. There were many lamb-based dishes, but few with ground lamb.  I came upon one for grilled lamb pops and decided to use this as a good starting point.  If you are a regular reader, you know that I rarely follow recipes to a T. Rather, I use them as an inspiration for a meal. 

We also had an abundance of sweet potatoes from our CSA and a never ending supply of tomatoes from our garden at home. I wanted to get them cooked up soon before they got soft and wilty.  So, I came upon another recipe for a Moroccan-flavored stew.  Here goes...

Grab two large pots. I used my Le Creuset wide  pan and the Dutch oven and put both on the stove top with a slice of bacon diced in each as well as some onions.  While these were warming up on the stove (slowly!), I began assembling the lamb meatballs. 

Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 1 egg
- 1/4 c. walnut meal (in place of breadcrumbs)
- garlic clove, smashed and diced
- chopped fresh herbs: mint, parsley, cilantro
- salt, pepper

Mix well with your hands and form into 1" balls.  Add to pan and cook on low/medium heat, moving around the pan until semi-firm (about 20 min). 

While the meatballs are cooking, begin work on the stew. Once done (about 20 minutes), turn off the heat and allow the meatballs to rest in the pan.

Ingredients:

- 1/4 c. onion diced

- 3 stalks of celery, diced (not in the original recipe, but I used them because I had them)
- 2 cups sweet potato, peeled, cut in 1" pieces (the recipe originally called for butternut squash, but I substituted this) 

- 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes 

- as many fresh cherry tomatoes as you wish

- 2 cups water (again, another substitution--original called for chicken broth and I had none)

- generous handful of raisins -- I used golden raisins

- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon cardamom 

- 1/8 teaspoon clove

We've already began cooking one slice of bacon and onions as we were preparing the meatballs.  This is now nicely oily and the onions are translucent.  Add the celery and sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes.  Pour in the can of diced tomatoes and add 2 cups of water.  Allow this to come to a boil and then simmer (with the lid on) for 20-30 minutes.  Begin to check the sweet potatoes for done-ness.  If they are still tough, continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so.  Add the raisins, garlic and all spices.  Transfer the meatballs and some pan fat to the stew.  Let the flavors mix for 10-15 minutes.  The stew will be brothy.  If you prefer a thicker stew, take the lid off and allow some liquid to cook off.  

Serve over pureed sweet potatoes (about 1/2 cup) or couscous.

Tomatoes and sweet potatoes simmering in the pot

Lamb meatballs added

As plated

All-local meatloaf filled with veggies

Two things: a confession and a truth are combined in this post.  I confess that I have never had or made meatloaf in my entire 35 years of life. I'm totally telling the truth (about the meatloaf and my age).  Everytime I think of meatloaf I'm reminded from the scene from Wedding Crashers.

We had a pound of ground beef in our freezer and I wanted to make a dish that wasn't a burger. So, I did some quick internet searching and was inspired by a recipe I found on a Paleo-focused website. Here's my version.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. bacon (between 10-12 slices)
• 1/2 c. diced onion reserved in 1/4 c. measurements
• 1/2 c. diced pepper
• 1 c. finely chopped button mushrooms (any mushroom will work well)
• 1 c. cooked kale or other hearty green (may substitute chard or spinach)
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 c. shredded carrots
• 2 tbs. stone ground mustard
• 2 tbs. ketchup 
• 2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 egg 
• Herbs to your liking: thyme, rosemary, cumin, garlic powder, dill
• Feta cheese (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place a rack on the cookie sheet. 

On your stovetop, heat up a large pan (I used my Le Creuset). Take 2 or 3 slices of the bacon and chop finely before adding to the pan.  Add 1/4 c. of onions and all of the diced peppers. Cook until fragrant, about 2 - 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook thoroughly.  Remove from the pan and reserve.  In the same pan, cook the kale until fully wilted, remove from pan and allow to drain on a paper towel-lined plate or bowl. 

In a large bowl, add the following:

• Remaining onions
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 c. shredded carrots
• 2 tbs. stone ground mustard
• 2 tbs. ketchup 
• 2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg
• Herbs to your liking: thyme, rosemary, cumin, garlic powder, dill

Mix well, so that all herbs and items are incorporated throughout.  If found it incredibly helpful to use my hands for this part.  Add the mushroom/onion/pepper mixture. Before adding the kale, make sure it is drained well and chopped finely.  Once all ingredients are incorporated, take 1/4 of the meatloaf mix and create a small loaf.  If you are using the feta cheese, make a small crater in the meatloaf and add the cheese; bring the sides of the loaf up around to close.  Repeat this 3 more times.

On your cookie sheet, lay out 8 pieces of bacon. Wrap each loaf with bacon and secure with a toothpick.

Put in the middle rack of the oven at 400F for 35 - 40 minutes.  I checked on it after 30 minutes and decided that it needed 15 more minutes to get the bacon crispy or until the internal temp reaches 160F. 

The mister was out at a meeting, so I kept his in the oven (with the gas turned off and the oven door ajar) to keep it warm. It did not overcook the meat or the bacon.  It was incredibly moist and tasty.  I was quite surprised at how well this came out because as I confessed earlier, I have never eaten meatloaf or even attempted to cook it.

"MA......WHERE'S THE MEATLOAF?!?!?!?!"

I suspect you could make this in a traditional pan loaf and line the pan with bacon, but would likely need to cook it longer. 

I cannot wait to make this again.  The bonus to this recipe is that ALL items with the exception of the herbs, ketchup, and mustard were all local. 

Delicata squash with greens and kielbasa

So, I found myself with a glut of delicata squash and I was unsure what to make of it. As you know, I don't really follow recipes, but I'm "inspired" by them.  We had a party to attend, so I decided that the delicata squash would be a great base for the dish that I was going to bring. 

I looked at my cookbooks and found one for a sausage-stuffed delicata squash recipe. I didn't have any sausage, but I did have some excellent kielbasa in my freezer.

I began by preparing the squash, scrubbing the skins, cutting it lengthwise and scooping out the seeds.  I cooked the squash (skin-side up) in the oven at 375 degrees until easily pierced with a knife. I suggest checking on it after 20 minutes as cooking times vary, depending upon the thickness of the squash.  Once done, take the squash out of the oven and flip over. 

While the squash was cooking, I heated up my Le Creuset with some bacon pieces and onions.  Once the bacon leeched some fat into the pan, I began crumbling the kielbasa and browning it on medium heat.  Once the kielbasa appeared to be cooked thoroughly, I added about 2 handfuls of chopped kale to the pot.

Turn the heat to low and allow the kale to wilt down. Mix everything well in the pan and scoop into the cooked squash.  Once all squash is filled, top with breadcrumbs and put under the broiler briefly.

These were a huge hit at the party. We sliced them into small bites and everyone enjoyed them as finger food. One thing to keep in mind, you can eat the skins of delicata squash. 

"Did I hear a string of curses?"

Kale and zucchini in the pot

That's what the mister asked me the other night.  He was upstairs while I was preparing a meat-free dinner (I was inspired by this recipe posted on Food Inc.'s Facebook page).  We had the ingredients at home and I had the entire recipe all planned out, the greens were cut and washed and the garlic and spices were waiting in the pan.  Heck, I had even hard-boiled, cooled, peeled and sliced the eggs!

The zucchini was cooking and I was just about to add the kale...and then the cursing started.  $^#%@! *^&$#!

Many of the ingredients of this dish are Greek/Mediterranean/Middle Eastern-inspired.  Garlic, cumin, feta, lemon, olive oil...and most importantly, chickpeas (aka: garbanzo beans).  It wasn't until it was time to add the chickpeas did I realize that my cabinet was depleted of garbanzos.

Cannellini beans were a great substitute!

I have the problem of buying extra beans when I'm at the supermarket--I regularly stock up on black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and cannellini (known as a white navy bean or great northern bean).  I usually have 2 - 3 cans of each in the cabinet and then replenish when needed.  For some reason, I have neglected to buy garbanzos in some time and I was completely out. 

I started to think, "what substitute can I use?"  I have only a few items in the cabinet--clearly, I NEED to stock up this weekend--and they consist of pumpkin puree, tomato paste, rice, black beans (they are not a suitable substitute) and one small can of cannellini beans. 

Why not try the cannellini beans? They are not as "sturdy" as garbanzos and work better in soups or broth-based dishes because the cannellini break easily. However, this does have a positive side, as their starches can lend depth to the soups or stews. 

As it turns out, my mistake didn't ruin the dish. I was a bit more delicate in moving the cannellini around the pan, but it had a nice flavor.  I topped the dish with a hard boiled egg, feta cheese, and some lemon olive oil dressing. It was quite enjoyable!  Recipe is below.

Dinner is on the table!

Recipe:

• garlic, shallots, cumin, olive oil
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced, salted and rinsed
• 2 bunches kale, de-stemmed, washed, torn; handful of spinach (optional)
• cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or chickpeas if you want to follow the original recipe)
• crumbled feta cheese
• hard boiled egg (one for each dish)
• dressing:  olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, garlic (mix it to your own desired sweet or tart flavor); I keep my quantities very small and only make about 1/4 - 1/8 of a cup

In a large pan, warm up your garlic, shallots, cumin and olive oil.  Add the zucchini and cook for 3 - 4 minutes, add handfuls of kale--cover to cook, but checking regularly--until wilted and the greens get very bright.  Add the beans, cook covered for a few minutes so the beans get warmed through.  Plate your dinners and top each dish with a scoop of feta cheese and one hard boiled egg.  Top the dish with dressing to taste.

Noodle-free lasagna

We had quite a few eggplants in our CSA share this week, along with a bounty of tomatoes.  I wanted to make something a little bit different than grilled veggies and/or sauteed over pasta.  I found a recipe that included some eggplants, tomatoes and a lovely amount of mozzarella.

As much as I say, "bacon makes everything better." I feel the same way about mozzarella cheese.  Cooked, chilled, solo or with tomatoes and basil...mozzarella can do no wrong.

Tonight's recipe included the following:

• 2 eggplant, sliced
• 2 -3 lbs. medium to large tomatoes (red or yellow)
• fresh basil, onions, garlic
• mozzarella (shredded or sliced)
• a shake of nutmeg and garlic powder
• pecorino cheese

I sliced and salted the eggplant in a colander. While that was resting, I began chopping my tomatoes and putting them in a large bowl.  I heated up my Le Creuset pan with olive oil, onions, and garlic.  I gave the eggplant a good shake to remove the excess moisture and added it to the pan.  I gave it a nice grill, until the eggplant developed small amounts of brown on the skin.

I removed the eggplant from the pot, and layered an oiled baking dish with it.  I then tossed the tomatoes and some fresh basil into the pot.  I gave the tomatoes a shake of garlic powder and nutmeg.  I allowed that to simmer, and allowed for some of the liquid to cook off.  The colors were gorgeous!!!
Once the moisture began to cook off, I poured the entire pot of tomatoes into the baking dish (I did make a mistake; I should have spooned the tomatoes into the baking dish...too much liquid was transferred).  I gave a sprinkle of pecorino cheese on top.
I then sliced some mozzarella and covered the entire baking dish and placed in the toaster oven at 425 degrees. The dish hung out for 25 - 30 minutes and then I turned on the broiler to get the cheese browned.

I used a slotted spoon to serve dinner, so as not to overwhelm my dish with whatever tomato liquid did not cook off.  It was pretty darn good. 

The Best Pot Ever

This is the best pot ever. I really love this pot. It makes all of my dishes taste better. What is this pot?

Le Creuset: The Best Pot Ever

This pot is not the green vegetable matter that is illegal in most US states. It's French pot...definitely not grown locally. I mean, it's from France; it even has a fancy name - Le Creuset.

I received my Le Creuset from my mom (thanks, Mom!) for Christmas. It is cast iron, which means I get a workout whenever I cook with it. This thing is heavy and I should probably weigh it just to get an idea of its "heft." 

I use it often in my meal preparation (you'll see a trend with the more photos I post). Le Creuset pots take some time to warm up, but the heat is evenly distributed throughout. It makes for easier meal preparation. It also holds onto temperatures after I turn off the burner, so any second helpings taste great.

These cast iron pots were a staple of many a grandmother's kitchen.  I really don't remember if my Mom-Mom had them, but I know that you will find them at tag sales. Cast iron pans were often "seasoned" from previous meals and lent a richness of flavor. I'm sure that you had a grandmother or aunt that prepared Thanksgiving dinners with cast iron cookware. 

Why do I use such a relic of cookware so often? First, it's timeless. These are the types of pots you will have in your kitchen forever. Second, they hold up to high temperatures, both on the stove top and in the oven. Third, with cast iron cookware, I don't worry about Teflon leaching into my foods. (A word about Teflon, it's a rather incredible invention. I have chosen to limit my use of non-stick pans for my long term health.)

I'm hoping to add more cast iron cookware to my kitchen and eventually eliminate my non-stick pans. Unfortunately, cast iron does have a higher price tag. Until then, I will favor my blue Le Creuset for food creations. 

How's the pot in your kitchen?