meatless, part iv

Okay, so I know that technically it is Tuesday and thus my "Meatless Monday" theme is sort of off, but I have a good excuse!  Last night, I had a bad allergic reaction to food I was given at a committee meeting (the second time their food has made me sick - I'm done!) and I spent a portion of the night in the hospital.  Tachycardia (rapid heart rate) and a hot, prickly, red flush all over my body - it was very scary and very unexpected.  I still do not know exactly what caused the reaction, but I suppose I am due for some allergy tests.  Oh, bother :(

On a happier note, I am no longer ill and could whip up something delicious for myself that was guaranteed not to send me to the ER. I decided to dedicate this week's post to one of my very favorite snacks: guacamole.  My sister and I have always insisted that we could survive on guacamole for every meal if it came down to it.  Delicious, nutritious, and, err... green? This week's meatless meal might not actually qualify as a meal for most, but it does for me. Avocados, packed with good fats and fiber, also come with a high calorie cost (around 300 for one large avocado) and since I can never just eat a little bit, I usually have a big portion with tortilla chips and count it as my lunch. I have included below my recipe for a "basic" guacamole base that serves two hungry people - be sure to read the variations.

Ingredients:
2 large avocados that give slightly when pressed
1/2 a small, yellow onion, chopped
3-4 sprigs of cilantro, chopped fine
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Choosing the avocado is the trickiest part: too firm, and it will not mash well and won't have that creamy taste; too soft and it will be brown and unpleasant.  Master your avocado picking skills!
1. Halve the avocados and discard the pits.  Scoop into a bowl and mash to your preference (Doug likes his chunky, my dad likes his creamy).
2. Season with salt and pepper, mixing until just incorporated.
3. Stir in the onion and cilantro

Variations:
* Many basic guacamole recipes call for tomato and lime.  I do not like either, so I left them out.  I believe the lime is overpowering, even when only a little is used, and I usually do not see tomato added in my favorite Mexican restaurants, so that is a good enough excuse for me!
* Douglas likes a bit of a kick to his guacamole, but I am sensitive to chili peppers.  If you want to spice it up, add some finely chopped jalapeño to yours.
* My very best amiga dominicana, Carolina, showed me a fantastic variation of guacamole that includes chopped granny smith apples.  I incorporate about 1/2 an apple into a two-person serving.  It adds a little bit of sweetness and body to the guacamole and my family LOVES it.  Gracias, Caro!

meatless, part iii

Wow! Our meatless month is really flying by. Only two more weeks on the vegetarian trial diet; I will be sure to post my general assessment once it is completed.  Doug and I are sorting out next month's lifestyle challenge.  We were originally intending to try out the "paleolithic" diet, but we are starting to worry that it will require too much pre-planning and preparation to maintain, which might be a challenge for our insanely busy schedules. So, we might be putting that idea on the back-burner.  At the moment, I am considering a gluten-free diet for next month.  We are officially finished with our vegetarian adventures next Friday, will enjoy a brief weekend of indulgence (we really want cheeseburgers!), and will begin the next epicurean experiment on October 8th.  If anyone has any gluten-free meal suggestions (that are not red-meat heavy - I'm not looking to undo all this month's work!) I am all ears.

As for now, here is our latest meat-free masterpiece.  Another recipe from my beloved Epicurious, this meal was made just for Doug, who loves corn in all forms, particularly polenta.  This creamy version of the Italian staple (daintily referred to as "grits" stateside) was a hit with luxurious mascarpone and sautéed mushrooms.  I decided to serve it with some garlic green beans (blanched and then tossed in a pan with some garlic, salt, pepper, and toasted almonds).  

Ingredients for Polenta:

4 1/2 C water

1 C coarse stone-ground grits

1/4 C heavy cream

2 T finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Ingredients for Mushrooms:

1 lb assorted fresh mushrooms, chopped (recipe calls for "exotic" types, I used button and portobello)

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, smashed

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 C water

3 T cold, unsalted butter

1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice **

1 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

For Serving:

1/2 C mascarpone

2 T finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

**I wasn't a huge fan of the lemon flavor with the mushrooms, I think I will omit this the next time I try this recipe

Directions for Polenta:
1. Bring water to simmer in a 3-4 quart heavy saucepan
2. Add grits in a slow stream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed (about 30 min)
3. Remove from heat and stir in cream, cheese, salt and pepper.

Directions for Mushrooms:
1. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet on moderately high heat
2. Sauté mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper until the liquid from mushrooms is evaporated
3. Add water, butter, lemon juice, and parsley until butter melts and liquid forms a sauce

To Serve:
Top each serving of polenta with mushroom mixture and mascarpone.
Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano

And there you have it!  Super easy... admittedly a bit messy, but all the pots and pans wiped up without much effort (even the sticky polenta) and it was definitely worth it to eat a creamy, delicious home-cooked meal.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

meatless, part ii

I have to tell you, Doug and I are finding this vegetarian diet pretty easy.  We just completed week number two of meatless munching and I am happy to report another successful seven days of deliciousness.  This weekend I decided to save a little money with a focus on simpler, cheaper dishes: this arugula and fontina frittata.  The original recipe was published in Gourmet magazine and can be found on my favorite site for recipes, Epicurious.  Delicious, easy-to-make, and inexpensive, I will enjoy eating this throughout the week (it made eight slices).  I chose to serve the frittata with some roasted creamer potatoes of my own recipe and a mixed green salads with cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and balsamic vinaigrette. Delizioso!

Ingredients for Purple Creamers
purple creamers (I use five per person)
olive oil
garlic powder
rosemary
salt and pepper

Ingredients for Frittata
1 garlic clove, halved
1 1/2 T olive oil
5 oz baby arugula (7 cups packed)
6 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 Fontina, rind discarded and cheese cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Directions for Purple Creamers

1. Place oven racks on top and bottom thirds, set broiler to high

2. Cut potatoes into eighths

3. Place potatoes in a 9x9 baking pan (I used a glass Pyrex)

4. Lightly coat with olive oil and season with herbs, salt, and pepper, to taste

5. Place pan on bottom rack of oven, turning potatoes about ever five minutes until toasted on all sides (about 15 minutes)

Directions for Frittata

1. Preheat broiler (or continue on high after making potatoes)

2. Cook garlic in oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet (I used my Le Creuset) until golden, about 2 minutes

3. Discard garlic and add arugula, stirring frequently until wilted, about 2 minutes

4. Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper until combined, then pour over arugula and cook, undisturbed, until almost set, 5 to 6 minutes

5. Sprinkle cheese evenly on top of eggs and broil on top shelf until eggs are set and cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes

Let me know how it comes out!

meatless, part i

Anyone who knows me well knows I love to cook.  I love food and am interested in the culinary process from farm to table.  I do my best to ensure that the food I put into my body is sustainably produced, nutritious, and (most importantly) delicious.  I believe that food is a means of not only sustenance, but also bonding and enjoyment, and every bite ought to feel good inside and out.  I have been challenging myself to find meals to prepare that satisfy my nutritional needs while also meeting my sensual demands.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, Douglas and I decided to make vegetarianism this month's nutritional challenge.  Since neither of us are yet well-versed on the preparation of non-animal protein sources, we decided to go on a modified version of the diet and are continuing to consume eggs, dairy, and fish while we learn the ropes.  I am so happy with the outcome of our first meal; we have been eating omelets and salad for dinner for most of the week, so it was nice to have a complete dinner this weekend.  I liked this one so much that I decided to share the process with you.

I found this recipe in September's issue of Real Simple in their segment on two-night meals entitled "4 Ways to Transform Your Leftovers".  The dish is quinoa with sweet potatoes, kale, and pesto, and it was absolutely delicious.  Doug AND my fifteen year old non-veggie-loving brother enjoyed the meal, and that is saying something.  The quinoa is cooked following the package instructions (for some reason I was intimidated about cooking quinoa but it is so easy!) and the veggies were simple, nutritious, and tasty.  I cooked the vegetables in my Le Creuset oval french oven and used pre-chopped kale.  The whole process took about a half hour.

Ingredients
2 cups quinoa, rinsed
1/2 cup olive oil
3 small sweet potatoes (about 1 and 1/2 lb.), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
kosher salt (1 tsp) and black pepper (1/2 tsp)
1 medium red onion, sliced
2 bunches kale (1 and 1/4 lb.), thick stems removed and leaves cut into bite-size pieces (about 14 cups)
pesto and toasted walnuts, for serving

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the sweet potatoes, salt, and pepper.  Cook covered, tossing occasionally, until the potatoes begin to brown and soften, 6 to 8 min.

2. Add the onion to the pot and cook, tossing occasionally, until they are tender, 4 to 6 min.

3. Add as much kale as the pot will fit and cook until tender, tossing frequently, adding more kale when there is room, 3 to 4 min.

4. Serve over the quinoa and sprinkle with the pesto and walnuts.

That's it!  It was so easy and tasted amazing.  I was so happy with how it came out, I made an even larger portion of the veggies the very next night so that I can reheat and eat them throughout the week.

Note: I have some ideas brewing for recipes that I would like to share, but am very new to food photography.  If anyone has any suggestions on lighting/technique, I am all ears.  In the meantime, please be patient with me while I learn to perfect my skills :)