Curried Rice Salad with Chickpeas and Mango

Curried Rice Salad with Chickpeas and Mango -- modified from http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2012/07/curried-rice-salad-with-black-chickpeas-and-mango.html

Ingredients:

 Vegetable Oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (we didn't use these...)

1 large tomato finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon red pepper, or to taste

1/4 cup vegetable broth

2 cups cooked chickpeas

4 cups cooked brown basmati rice

1/2 teaspoon garam masala, or to taste

1/4 cup minced cilantro

2 mangos, peeled and diced

Lime juice, to taste

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

 

Directions:

1. Heat a large, non-stick pot or wok over medium-high heat. Add splash of oil and the onion and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown. When it begins to brown, add the garlic and cumin seeds and stir for a minute. Reduce heat to medium, add the tomato and next 5 ingredients, and cook until the tomato softens and begins to break down.
2. Add a quarter cup of the vegetable broth, the chickpeas, and the brown rice. Stir well, and if he mixture seems dry, add a little more broth. Cover and cook on low for about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the garam masala and remove from heat. Transfer to a large serving bowl and add parsley and mango. Season to taste with fresh lime juice and salt. Sprinkle with pine nuts.
 

Roasted Tomato Pasta Salad

Roasted Tomato Pasta Salad

From Eating Bird Food -- http://www.eatingbirdfood.com/2012/07/farmers-market-roasted-tomato-salad/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+eatingbirdfood%2FhWrr+%28Eating+Bird+Food%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

We made this into a pasta salad, which was delicious! We threw in half a box of cooked pasta (use directions on package) during step 5. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 pounds tomatoes (a mix of small heirlooms and cherry tomatoes), halved

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup

sea salt

1/2 medium to large cucumber, chopped into small pieces

1/2 cup goat cheese feta, cut or crumbled into small chunks

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped

sea salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and adjust one of your oven racks to the top third of the oven.
2. Cut tomatoes in half and place 1 pound in a bowl, set aside.
3. Gently toss the other pound of tomatoes in a bowl with the olive oil, syrup, and salt. Arrange them in a single layer, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Bake until the tomatoes shrink and start to caramelize around the edges, about 45 minutes. Set tomatoes aside to cool for 30 minutes.
5. Gently toss roasted tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, cucumber, goat cheese, onion, vinegar and basil in large bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt and ground pepper to taste.

Brownies

Brownies
from Allrecipes - http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mmm-mmm-better-brownies/detail.aspx

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

coarse sea salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually stir into the egg mixture until well blended. Stir in walnuts, if desired. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with sea salt.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan. Let cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

Black Bean Dip with Goat Cheese

Black Bean Dip with Goat Cheese

From Delish/O, Oprah Magazine - http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/black-bean-goat-cheese-dip

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon(s) olive oil, plus more for brushing (optional)

1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 clove(s) garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) cumin (preferably whole seeds, freshly toasted and ground)

2 can(s) (15 1/2 to 19 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup(s) chicken stock

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 large poblano peppers

1 bunch(es) scallions, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup(s) coarsely chopped cilantro

1 log(s) (11-ounce) fresh goat cheese

Instructions:

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin and cook 30 seconds. Add 1 can beans and lightly mash using a potato masher. Stir in chicken stock and remaining can of beans. Simmer until very thick (but not pasty), 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool.
Meanwhile, place poblano peppers directly on a burner over a medium-low gas flame. Turn regularly with tongs to blacken skin, 10-15 minutes (if you don't have a gas stove, you can blacken peppers on a sheet pan under a broiler, turning regularly, about 15 minutes). Place peppers in a paper bag; seal and let sit (and steam) until cool enough to handle. Peel peppers, removing as much of the charred skin as possible without rinsing. Seed and coarsely chop. Transfer to a small bowl and toss with scallions and cilantro.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In the bottom of a 1- to 1 1/2-quart soufflé or baking dish, spread half of bean mixture. Top with half of cheese, crumbled, and half of pepper mixture. Repeat layering once more, ending on pepper mixture. Place dish on a sheet pan and bake 30-35 minutes, until top is bubbling.

Roasted Eggplant and Meyer Lemon Risotto

Roasted Eggplant and Meyer Lemon Risotto
From Cookthink -- http://www.cookthink.com/recipe/10221/Roasted_Eggplant_And_Meyer_Lemon_Risotto

Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants (about 1 pound) cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons + 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Meyer lemons, juiced
6 cups low-sodium broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450F and put the rack in the middle position. Put a large baking sheet on the rack to preheat. Prep the eggplant.

2. In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes and one third of the Meyer lemon juice. Pour the eggplant onto the preheated baking sheet. Spread the pieces apart so that all the pieces make contact with the pan and there's room between them. Roast, turning and tossing occasionally with a spatula, until they’re tender and brown in spots, 30-40 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring the broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and keep the broth hot.

4. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan. When the foam subsides, add the onion and season it with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook the onion, stirring often, until it's translucent but not brown, 3-5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until coated with the onions. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the rice turns opaque, 2-4 minutes.

5. Add the white wine and enough of the simmering broth to cover the rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is mostly evaporated and absorbed. Keep adding the broth, 1/2 cup or so at a time, until the rice is al dente, tender but still firm. Gently fold in the hot eggplant and then stir in the parmesan and a generous sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper.

6. In a small bowl, sprinkle the remaining two thirds of the lemon juice lightly with salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the remaining olive oil, whisking constantly until the dressing is emulsified. Let each person dress with vinaigrette to taste.

Edamame Kale Pesto Grilled Cheese, Cardamom Pear Cake

Edamame Kale Pesto Grilled Cheese

From Northwest Seasonal -- http://nwseasonal.blogspot.com/2012/04/grilled-cheese-spread.html

Edamame-Kale Pesto

1/2 bunch of kale

1 1/2 cups edamame
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted
1/2 cup fresh basil
2 sprigs of tarragon
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive olive as needed

Blanch kale and enamame in simmering water for 20 seconds or until they are a bright green. Remove from water and set aside.

In a food processor combine nuts, kale, edamame, basil, tarragon, and garlic. Pulse until everything is broken down. Add in soy sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper, and pulse until combined. Then slowly drizzle in olive oil until you’ve reached your desired consistency.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Salted Rosemary Bread

Earth Balance (or butter)

Edamame Kale Pesto (recipe above)

Goat Cheddar, sliced

'Butter' one side of each slice of bread. Take half of bread, spread with pesto on un-'buttered' side, layer on slices of cheese. Top with another slice of bread (without pesto or cheese). Cook on hot griddle until both sides of sandwich are golden brown and cheese is melted.

Cardamom Pear Cake

From Go Dairy Free -- http://www.godairyfree.org/Recipes/Dairy-Free-Desserts/Cardamom-Pear-Cake-Soy-Free.html

Ingredients

• 6 under-ripe pears, cored and cut in eighths
• 1 Tbsp. ground cardamom
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs, large or extra-large
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 tsps. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan, preferably with a removable bottom.
• Toss the pear wedges, cardamom and one-third cup of the sugar in a mixing bowl until the pears are thickly coated with sugar and spice. Set aside while preparing the cake batter.
• To make the batter, beat the remaining sugar and eggs until thick and creamy. Beat in the oil, one-quarter cup at a time, followed by the orange juice, and the vanilla and almond extracts. Don't worry if the batter splits; it will become smooth once the dry ingredients are added.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together, and beat into the batter just until the batter is smooth and thick.
• Spread one-third of the batter across the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer with one-third of the pears, and repeat the layers two more times.
• Bake for 1 hour and 50 minutes, until a tester comes out barely moist.
• Cool in the pan on a rack.

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese

From the Food Network (Ina Garten) - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mac-and-cheese-recipe2/index.html

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• Vegetable oil
• 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
• 1 quart milk
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
• 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.