Friday, March 27, 2015

Sriracha Fried Avocado Tacos

Sriracha Fried Avocado Tacos
Corn Tortillas
Butter
Sriracha
Avocado
Spinach
Salt

Heat large skillet with a generous dab of butter and two large handfuls spinach. Salt spinach and saute until wilted, then push to side or remove. Add a bit more butter and a spoonful of siracha to pan, then add tortillas and begin to fry. Flip, adding more chili oil or hot sauce as desired. As the second sides fry, top each tortilla with spinach and 1/4 of an avocado. Press in half, do a final few seconds of frying on each side, and enjoy hot out of the pan.

To scale up - use an electric griddle and as many corn tortillas as you want!

Food Allergies and Ethics
Vegetarian, vegan if you skip the butter. Gluten-free but source your sriracha. Huy Fong says theirs are gluten-free, though in a slightly elusive way. You could also buy this fancy certified kind or make your own.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Buttermilk Pudding

Straight from Mom, to our inboxes, to you:

I bought buttermilk to make muffins last weekend which i totally screwed up & tossed :(   I used this recipe to use some of the buttermilk left over but I did not make it chocolate because I wanted something to go with blackberries (on sale!). I zested a lemon into the hot mixture & the juice of said lemon because mixture was already tart from the buttermilk. I had intended to make vanilla pudding but lemon seemed ideal with the tart flavor. I did add a tsp or so of vanilla at the end. YUM


Monday, March 16, 2015

Roasted Cabbage with (Faux) Lemon Aioli



Roasted Cabbage with (Faux) Lemon Aioli

Pre-heat your oven to 400°F. Slice the stem off one head cabbage. Wash well. Slice into rounds, about one or two inches thick. Rinse again for good measure. Place in glass baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Let roast for 40-45 minutes, until it is beginning to crisp.

In the meantime, mix a bit of olive oil and lemon juice with 2 tablespoons mayo and 1.5 tablespoons mustard. Mix well, and adjust to taste. I like to think with just a small splash of water.

To serve drizzle your faux-aioli over the cabbage rounds. Delightful as a warm first course salad, as a side to go with steak or pork chops, or integrated into any St. Patrick's day supper!

Food Allergies and Ethics
About as veggie as they come. Vegan only if you skip the faux aioli or use a vegan mayo substitute. Gluten free, just check your condiments as always.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Late Winter Meals: Eating Lately (Refried Beans with Veggie Hash and Eggs, Sausage Soup, and Polenta Bowls)

It's been a long winter here in Boston. This week we have a reprieve, but since the God of Prediction Nate Silver says we're probably gonna get more snow, well, I thought I'd better post our late winter staple meals. I'm starting to move onto lighter fare, but I'm sure that these three will make at least one more appearance each before it's really spring.

Sausage Soup
I've made soooo many variations of sausage soup this year. I took photos of none. But! Look! Someone else already did a better job than I ever could on the food photography and recipe development front! Lucky for you, Deb Perelman's version is delicious and hearty, with sausage, lentils, chard, and garlic. I subbed the carrots and celery for potatoes and red peppers and think it was the favorite attempt of the season.

Refried Beans with Veggie Hash and Eggs
A pretty standard improvised weeknight meal for us. I just pick my favorite veggies -- usually red peppers, potatoes, jalapenos, garlic, shallots, and kale -- chop 'em up and saute them in olive oil, with tons of salt and pepper.



Right before they're finished I clear two little spaces in the pan for my eggs, crack 'em and fry in a bit of butter while the veggies finish cooking. Serve it up with hot refried beans and either rice or warm corn tortillas. Sharp cheddar and avocado are always welcome additions, and spooning on some of this hot chili garlic sauce is a must.

Polenta Bowls
A long time ago, Annalise tried to sell me on Joy the Baker's Baked Polenta with Tomato and Basil. Ever the know-it-all, I assured her I wouldn't like it. Then I moved to Boston now I make my own version of it at least weekly. My apologies for the condescension, sweet sister. Clearly, you know what's up and what's good.

We skip the baking, preferring bowls of soft, cheesy stovetop-polenta made as per the instructions of the package, plus a little extra Parmesan and butter. I like to make a simple marinara from tomato paste for our bowls. So easy, so good, so damn cheap. Just dice some garlic and onions, cook in olive oil, add a 6 oz. can of tomato paste, Italian spices, 1 and 1/2 cups water, and a pinch of sugar. Then simmer. I sometimes throw in white beans, mushrooms, peppers, or whatever else for substance and nutrients.



Want to make a quick meal, and have no time for marinara? Just throw some grape tomatoes in when you add the polenta to the boiling water. They'll burst, and you can just serve it all up with some pesto. Or add a pat of butter and wilted greens.

Food Allergies and Ethics
All gluten free. Sausage soup - not vegetarian. But you got that, right? None of this is vegan. Sorry about that, but the theme of this winter was "it snowed and I ate cheese."

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Heidi Swanson's Millet Muffins

This recipe is from Super Natural Every Day.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these muffins and promised my Mom I'd share the recipe with her.  Putting millet in a baked good it gives this wonderful little bit of crunch.  These are not oversweet, but also not bland in the slightest.  They are perfect with butter and tea for breakfast or in the afternoon.  Bake them!

Dry:
2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup raw millet
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Wet:
1 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup coney
1/2 cup unsalted butter, barely melted
Grated zest and juice (2 TB) of one lemon

Preheat oven to 400.  Mix together dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another.  Add wet to dry and combine.

Divide batter into a greased standard 12-muffin tin and bake for 15 minutes.

Kale in Harissa-Yogurt Broth

I have a nasty, annoying cold/cough thing, and all I want to eat are spicy brothy soups.  I don't want to cough all over everyone at my local Thai place, so I made this instead.  Virtually no effort and it was exactly what my sinuses and I needed.

4 cups broth (nothing too strong - I used bone broth that I make every few months and keep frozen, my one weird unvegetarian dietary tendency)
2 TB harissa paste or spice mix (or as much as you can stand)
1/2 TB fresh ginger paste (or more if you like)
1 bunch kale, destemmed (or whatever leafy greens)
Salt
1/2 cup to 1 cup plain yogurt

Heat the broth, stir in the spices, adjust the flavor, cook the kale in the broth. Stir in the yogurt when you serve.