Black Bean Soup

Sort through (to look for rocks) and wash 2 cups dried black beans. Boil beans in 6 cups water for about 1 1/2 hours until nice and tender. You are supposed to keep the beans covered, but to do that I had to turn the heat down and occasionally let out some steam. Once soft, drain the beans.

Meanwhile saute 1 onion, 3 cloves crushed garlic, 2 chopped carrots, and 1 chopped celery. Add in a healthy amount of cumin, some cayenne, and a little salt. Add 3 peeled, seeded and diced tomatoes.

Once the veggies are tender, add to the beans along with 4 cups stock, 2 T sherry, and 2 T tamari (soy sauce is fine). You can also add 1-2 T tomato paste but I didn't have it so left it out.

Simmer for 20-30 minutes and serve with a dallop of Greek yogurt and fresh cilantro. This is good served with corn bread or biscuits!

Chicken Peperonata

Cook up some quinoa as per package instructions. When it is almost done, stir in 6 oz of fresh spinach.

Meanwhile, pound 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast to an even 1/2 inch thickness.(it's easiest to do this with the chicken in a plastic bag). Saute the chicken until browned on both sides (about 5 minutes on each side). Remove and set aside.

Saute 1 sliced onion and 2 sliced bell peppers (one red and one yellow looks pretty) until softened. Add 6 cloves crushed garlic and saute briefly. Add 1 cup chicken broth, 1 lb plum tomatoes peeled and chopped, and 1 T red wine vinegar. To easily peel tomatoes, drop them in boiling water for 20 seconds. The skin just falls right off. Simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, about 5-7 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan and cook until the chicken is cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over the quinoa/spinach

Latkes and Homemade Applesauce

For the applesauce, you'll want at least 8 apples and you'll want a variety: Golden Delicious, Fuji, Jonathan, Mcintosh, or Gravenstein all work well. If you can, get organic since it's nice to leave the skin on. Wash and slice the apples. Put in a big pot with a splash of lemon juice and a little bit of water. Cook on med-high until apples are completely soft. Use a potato masher to mash it up in the pot (the apples should be soft enough to easily mash). Then pour the applesauce into a sieve over a bowl. Using a form or potato masher, work the applesauce through the sieve until you have all the applesauce in the bowl and only the skins left on top. You should have a beautiful pink applesauce. You can use an immersion blender if you want the applesauce smoother.

For the latkes, preheat oven to 250. Grate 1 lb russet potatoes (use a cuisinart with the grater attachment!!!) and 1/2 an onion. Put in a bowl with 1-2 eggs, and 1/2 tsp salt. Heat up a frying pan with a lot of oil in it. Make sure the oil is good and hot. Ladle a scoop of potato in, press into pancake shape, and cook on one side about 4 minutes and then flip. If the pancakes aren't holding together yet, wait a little longer before flipping. Cook on other side until browned and then put in the oven to stay warm while you make the rest.

Serve with homemade applesauce and sour cream (or Greek yogurt).

Pumpkin Banana Muffins

2 over-ripe bananas
1 can pumpkin
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2- cup honey
1/2- cup brown sugar
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup pecans

1 cup whole grain pastry flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup flax meal
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, etc.

Combine wet to dry. top with cinnamon sugar. Makes about 18 muffins. Bake at 375 about 25 minutes

Tarka Dhal

Cook 1 lb of yellow split peas or lentils in boiling water along with some freshly grated ginger, garlic, salt and turmeric until beans are soft. Meanwhile make the tarka by sauteing 1 onion sliced with mustard seeds, sliced jalepano (can use sweeter peppers but should be the long thin shaped peppers, not bell peppers), and 1 large tomato chopped. Add freshly chopped cilantro and mint.

Put the dhal in a bowl and pour the tarka on top.

Bharta with Spring Onions

Roast two large eggplants until very soft (400 for 30-60 min). Alternatively microwave on high for 5 minutes, turn over and microwave for another 5 until very soft.

Meanwhile, saute 1/2 t black mustard seeds in some oil until they sputter. Add chopped up spring onions (one bunch) and 2 cloves crushed garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, then add 1/2 t chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1/4 t tumeric, and 1 t salt. Add 1 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes. Simmer 5 minutes. Scoop out the flesh of the eggplants, mash, and throw into the dish along with freshly chopped cilantro. Simmer until thick. Add garam masala.

Tofu Saag with Frozen Spinach

Thaw out 2 boxes of frozen spinach and set aside. I like the green giant no sauce kind.

Blend two tomatoes in a cuisinart and set aside

In a skillet, toast 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and 4 dried red chilies in oil. Once they start to sputter add the wet masala: 1/2 t cumin, 1/2 t chili, 1/2 t tumeric, grated fresh ginger, a generous scoop of coriander and a couple T of water.

Add the tomato puree, then add the spinach, then add a paste of 2 T flour with water.

Let cook a few minutes and then add tofu cubes and 1/2-1 cup milk or cream. Cook a bit longer and stir in a generous scoop of garam masala.

Eggplant Chickpea Casserole

Cut a big eggplant into 1/2 or 1/4 coins. Lay some foil over a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Place the eggplant slices on the foil, sprinkle with salt and brush tops with olive oil. Put in 450 degree oven for 20 minutes. Then fold the foil over the eggplant, crimping the sides to completely cover the eggplant. Let sit for another 15 minutes to let the eggplant steam.

Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce: saute slices of 1 medium yellow onion for about 5 minutes. Add 3-4 cloves of crushed garlic and a big pinch of salt and saute briefly before adding in a big can of good quality diced tomatoes, 2 T of tomato paste, a pinch of sugar, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a few fresh basil leaves. Simmer for 20 minutes until nice and thick. Add in one small can (15 oz) of drained chickpeas.

In a casserole pan, layer sauce, eggplant, sauce, eggplant, sauce. It won't really stay in neat layers, but that's okay. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Then let it sit for at least 20 minutes and serve with warm pita bread.

Pumpkin Muffins

Wet: 1/2+ cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup molasses/honey blend (I would have used all molasses but I ran out), 1/4 cup oil, 1 can pumpkin, 1 egg, yogurt as needed (I used about 1/4-1/3 cup)

Dry: 1 cup whole wheat, 1 1/4 cup white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry, 1/4 wheat germ, 3/4 cup flax meal, 2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 t salt, spices as desired (cinnamon, cloves, all spice, nutmeg, and ginger)

Add 1/2 cup raisins or cranberries and/or 1/2 cup walnuts if you'd like.

Combine, makes 12-16 muffins depending on how big you want your muffins.

Bake at 375 about 25 minutes.

Caitlyn's Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Cut a butternut squash in half (microwave for 2 minutes to make cutting it easier and cooking it faster) and lay it face down on a parchmont-paper covered baking sheet. Cook at 400 and 40 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, cook 2/3 cup barley. If you used hulled barley, saute it in olive oil before adding the cooking water. If you use pearl barley, you can just boil it in water until tender.

Once you have the barley and squash going, cut up 1/2 a big onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 stalks celery, and 3 carrots. Saute until the onion is tender. Add garam masala, tumeric, coriander, cumin, chili pepper, and any other curry spices you like. Use a total of about 1 heaping tablespoon of spices. Add 4 cups broth and cook until all the veggies are tender.

Once the squash is done, scoop out the flesh and add it to the soup. Don't add the barley yet. Ladle out about half of the soup and blend it. Put the blended soup back in the pot with the rest of the soup. Stir in the tender barley, and serve.

Fruit Almond Granola

In a bowl combine 3 cups rolled oats, 1 cup oat bran, 1/4 ground flax seed, 1/4 wheat germ, 1 cup almonds (whole or sliced), 1/2 t salt.

In a sauce pan, combine 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 t vanilla, 3 T oil (canola or olive), 1/4 cup water. Heat until it bubbles. Pour over dry ingredients.

Spread out on a cookie sheet and bake at 300 about 20-22 minutes, stirring twice. Once it cools, add dried fruit (dried blueberries, apricots, raisins, cherries, cranberries, etc).

Yum!

Provencal Vegetables with Olives and Pine Nuts

Chop up about 3 sweet potatoes. Put in a bowl and drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle some salt on top. Use your hands or a spoon to coat evenly. Put the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake at 425 until nice and roasty. You should also roast a whole bulb of garlic. To do this, I take the bulb and chop off just the tip, exposing most of the cloves (don't worry if some cloves are not cut into). Place it on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake about 30 minutes (should take about the same amount of time as the sweet potatoes.

Meanwhile caramelize sliced onions by sauteing on med heat for a long time, stirring and adjusting the heat as necessary to keep from burning. Once they get close, add chopped up red pepper and slices of yellow summer squash. When this is almost done, add a few heaping handfuls of baby spinach and saute until wilted.

Add in the sweet potatoes and arrange the veggie mixture on a plate topped with toasted pine nuts, whole kalamata olives, and shaved parmesan cheese. Serve with french bread, cheeses, and your roasted garlic.

Alternatives: You can roast the onion with the sweet potatoes instead of sauteing them. You can also roast potatoes with the sweet potatoes (prepare the same way you do the sweet potatoes) if you need more starch (if you aren't having bread say).

Chocolate Carrot Cake

In a bowl combine 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (about 3 carrots), 1/2 cup canola oil, and 3/4 cup granulated sugar. Pour 1 cup of boiling water on top. In a separate bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, 1/2 t salt, 1 1/2 t baking soda, and 1 t cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to wet. I also like to add a big handful of chocolate chips. Put in a greased 8x8 inch baking pan and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. These make great cupcakes or mini cupcakes for school(makes 24+ minis). For cupcakes and mini cupcakes, they will need much less cooking time so check often. For minis check after 8 minutes. Prob won't be done yet but they might be!

Let it cool, then:

Top with cream cheese frosting. If doing cupcakes put a chocolate chip on the top of each one.

Fesanjan

In your crock pot put:

1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken
1 onion sliced thinly
1/2 lb walnuts that have been cuisinarted until you have walnut dust
1 t salt
4 cups pomegranate juice (you can use concentrate mixed with water or broth)
1/2 t cardamom

Cook on low all day until the chicken just falls apart (use a fork to pull it). Serve over rice.

Veggie Wat/Alecha

Sauté 1 chopped onions, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, 1 T berbere, and 1 T sweet paprika in oil for a couple minutes. Add 1 cup string beans, 1 cup chopped carrots, and 1 cup chopped potatoes and continue to sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add 1 cup chopped tomatoes, 1/4 cup tomato paste, and 2 cups vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are tender.

Add salt and pepper to taste and mix in some parsley. Serve with injera and yogurt. You should make this along with other Ethiopian stews for the same meal.


Note: To make Veggie Alecha, you do basically the same thing except leave out the berbere, paprika and tomato paste, add freshly grated ginger, replace the string beans with green cabbage and add some red/green peppers.

Beet Greens Three Ways

If the beet greens from the borscht look good, then destem and wash them. Cook them down in a saucepan with just a little bit of water for some 30-45 minutes.

Don't lose heart when you see the tiny little lump they've turned into! Divide the lump into three portions and array them on a platter like some sort of nightmarish cheese plate:

Portion 1: with fig-balsamic

Portion 2: with olive oil and hot pepper flakes

Portion 3: with lemon and salt

Borscht

When we were in Russia a few years back we had to suffer through bowl after bowl of horribly inauthentic borscht--they didn't even blend the soup! There were chunks of beef at the bottom!

This is the true and original recipe for borscht, handed down from Irish generation to Irish generation on Hazel's side.

Eight peeled beets, one small red cabbage chopped into chunks, a red onion, two big carrots, a few cloves of garlic and some thyme in a saucepan with just enough 50/50 water/stock to cover. Cook until the beets are soft, then blend, then cool. Serve with greek yogurt and a squeeze of lemon.

Buttermilk Scones

Mix together 1 1/2 cup flour (can do 1 cup white and 1/2 cup ww pastry), 1/4 cup sugar (can increase to 1/3 if you aren't planning to eat them with jam), 1/2 t salt, 1 1/4 t baking powder, and 1/4 t baking soda. Using your fingers add in 6 T cold butter until the dough is crumb-like. Add in 1/4 cup currants, and then add 1/2 cup buttermilk slowly as you stir. Stir until just combined. Put onto floured surface, maybe knead a couple times and then form into a 1 inch thick round. Cut into 6-8 triangles and put on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 for 14 minutes.

Serve warm with jam or just plain.

Chicken in White Wine with Artichokes, Lemon, and Olives

Saute garlic and whole shallots (peeled) until tender. Add slices of lemon and saute lightly. Add chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs) and brown. Place in a baking dish with 1 c of frozen artichoke hearts (defrosted), 1/2 c whole pitted olives, capers, and 1/2 cup plus of white wine (add more as baking if needed) and lots of fresh lemon juice.

Bake at 350 until chicken is done (about 30-45 minutes). Top with freshly chopped parsley and serve over rice.

Variations on this are endless. One good alternative is baking carrot strips with the chicken, garlic, shallots (minced), and wine.

Chicken in White Wine with Olives and Dried Fruit

Use about 2-3 lbs of boneless breasts and thighs (you can use meat on the bone if you prefer)

Start by marinating the chicken in a bowl with 1/2 bulb of garlic minced, 2 T oregano, coarse salt, pepper, 2 T red wine vinegar, 1/4 c olive oil, 1/2 cup dried apricots, 1/2 cup prunes, 1/4 cup figs (optional), 3 T capers, and 1/2 c whole pitted olives.

Let marinate for a few hours. Preheat oven to 350. Put the chicken in a roasting pan. Keep the marinating liquid and add 3/4 cup white wine and 1/2 brown sugar. Pour this over the chicken. Cook covered for 30 minutes and then uncovered for 30 minutes. Once chicken is done, remove from oven. Place on serving platter and top with 1/4 cup chopped parsley.

Pesto Pasta

Cook up your pasta. Saute your veggies--diced or sliced peppers, onions, zucchini, pea pods, summer squash, and baby tomatoes are all great.

Prepare your pesto. I don't know exact measurements so you'll have to experiment until it tastes right to you. Here is what I do:

I start out with about 4 cups of packed basil leaves, 1-2 cloves minced garlic, 1/4-1/2 cup pine nuts, and 1 cup+ grated parmesan. Start blending together in a cuisnart while slowly pouring olive oil in until a smooth sauce is created. Taste it. Does it need to be richer? Add more nuts and cheese. Is it too thick? Add more olive oil. Too runny? Add more cheese, nuts, and basil if you have any. Does it need more garlic? It should be thick enough to scoop a spoonful and hold the spoon upside down without it all running off the spoon. It will thicken as it sits, so if it is close to this consistency, you've probably got it just right.

Throw everything together. You can add chopped olives too. This is great the next day as a cold pasta salad!

Depending on the amount of pasta, you may have pesto left over. Put it on bread, pizza, fish, chicken...

Dressler's Caponata

1 1/2 eggplant cut into 1/2" cubes. Brown in hot olive oil in large skillet. You will need a LOT of olive oil. Remove when soft and drain on paper towel. Set aside with paper towel still wrapped around the eggplant.

Squeeze some of the olive oil out of the eggplant/papertowel and use this to saute 1 cup celery and 1 onion. Add 5 cloves minced garlic. Continue to saute and add 2 peppers (preferably 1 yellow and 1 orange). Once everything is cooked, add 1 big can of San Marzano plum tomatoes (squish them with your hands as you throw them in). Add the juice if you want to use the Caponata as a pasta sauce. Otherwise drain the tomatoes before adding them. Add the eggplant, 2-3 T Balsamic Vinegar, 2 T sugar, 2 T capers, 1 t kosher salt, 1/2 can tomato paste, 10 olives chopped, and 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley. Add fresh ground pepper to taste. Simmer 15-20 minutes. Add 1/4-1/2 cup toasted pine nuts. You can serve it immediately as a sauce for pasta or you can put it in the fridge and serve it cold with fresh bread.

Roasted Puttanesca Pasta

In an oven pan, put: 2 containers of grape tomatoes sliced in 1/2s or 1/4s, 5 cloves garlic minced, handful of olives chopped, and 1-2 T capers. Add some olive oil, a splash of balsamic, and some hot red pepper flakes. Roast about 30 minutes. Meanwhile cook up 1/2-1 lb pasta.

To serve, place the pasta in a bowl, add the puttanesca sauce and top with a generous amount of chopped Italian Parsley and parmesan.

Murakami Guacamole

3 Haas avocados, pitted and peeled
1 roma tomato, seeded and diced (cut off top and squeeze tomato to de-seed!)
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1/2 lime
Handful of cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

basically just make sure you keep the avocados with lime juice on top to keep them from browning. only end up using about 1/2 of a lime, or about 2 tbs of lime juice. combine ingredients, you may need to mash avocados more if they are hard, but make sure to keep some chunks. add the cilantro, freshly chopped, last, along with salt and pepper to bring out all the flavors. If you let the guac sit for up to 1/2 hr and let the flavors combine, then that's even better!!

You can also add cumin, cayanne pepper, and garlic... but I don't... we didn't... I think simpler is better.

Homemade Tortillas

Mix together:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt (optional)

In a bowl or glass measuring cup microwave 3/4 cup water for 30 seconds. Add 2 tsp olive oil.

1 Tbsp at a time, add the water/oil to the flour mixture and mix with a fork. Once the water is mixed in, add another Tbsp...etc. Until you have added all the water.

Put dough on a lightly floured board and knead 4 minutes. Place back in bowl and cover with a moist towel for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 8 balls and cover with the damp cloth for another 10 minutes.

Roll each ball into a thin tortilla. Meanwhile preheat a cast iron pan on med-high heat.

Put a tortilla on the pan (no oil or anything). Squash any bubbles with a spatula and after 30 seconds, flip. After another 30 seconds, remove. Don't overcook.


Fill with beans, grilled peppers/onions, cheese, guacamole, etc!

Salmon with Roasted Potatoes and Greens

This is a whole dinner, so doesn't really fit the usual recipe paradigm. But it was so delicious, it needed to be documented.

Set oven to 400. On a baking sheet greased with olive oil, place diced yukon gold potatoes and diced sweet potatoes. Sprinkle on some kosher salt. Roast about 40 minutes until crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.

Meanwhile, cook your greens. We used swiss chard, so we tore the leaves off the stems and put them in a covered sauce pan over med heat until wilted. Dice the stems and saute with garlic and olive oil. Throw in the leaves and combine.

Put the oven up to 500 for the salmon. Put some olive oil, tarragon, and chevril in a baking pan. Place the salmon skin up into the pan. For a 1 1/2-2 inch filet, cook for 7 minutes. Then flip the salmon over, put a pat of butter on top and put it back int the oven for 4-7 minutes more depending on how you like your fish.

Nutmeg Sage Butternut Squash Risotto

Chop a butternut squash into bite-size pieces, and roast at 400 for 30-40 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat up 3 cups of broth and a cup of white wine. Keep this simmering the whole time.

Meanwhile, saute half of a big onion, diced, to a big stockpot, until translucent. Add a cup of arborio rice.

When the rice is a little toasty, ladle in some hot broth. Don't put all the broth in at once! Just keep topping it off when it gets dry. Stir stir stir the whole time, or the rice will stick to the pan.

Meanwhile, saute a diced red pepper and a bag of baby spinach.

When you're running low on broth, taste the rice to see if it's almost done. If it still has a ways to go, heat up some more broth. (A little water will also do the trick if you've run out of broth.)

When the rice is done, toss in a big pinch of nutmeg and a big pinch of sage, then the vegetables, then a cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately!

Corn Chowder

Boil 3 1/2 cups broth (chicken or veggie) with 2 10oz packages of frozen corn (of course you can use fresh if you have it) for 5 minutes. Scoop out 1/2 cup corn and set aside. Blend rest of corn/broth. Put back in sauce pan. Meanwhile blend 1/4 cup onion, 1 large tomato seeded, and 1 tsp of dried oregano. Pour this tomato sauce into a small sauce pan or skillet and cook on med/high until it thickens. Pour tomato sauce into the corn/broth. Add the 1/2 cup of whole corn kernals. Cook another 5 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream.

Serve with bread.

Note: If you serve it with bread and hummus you have a delicious summer meal!

Last minute Lasagna

This is a dish I threw together last night when we were pressed for time and had little in the fridge. I'm sure I will never make it exactly the same way again (like I said, it was with what we had) but it turned out so well I decided to write it down. You can use this as a template and play around with the recipe.


I boiled 6 lasagna noodles. Meanwhile I created a tomato sauce starting with a jar of really good store-bought sauce and then adding some frozen spinach, chopped up fresh cherry tomatoes, and chopped-up olives. I got out a casserole pan (mine was as long as one lasagna and wide enough to fit three noodles side by side) and layered:

1/3 of the sauce
cottage cheese
noodles
1/3 of the sauce
noodles
1/3 of the sauce sauce
grated cheese

Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes on 350.

Armenian Yogurt Dish

Place a container of Strained Plain Yogurt, aka Greek Yogurt, in a serving bowl. You can strain your own yogurt using a cheesecloth if you can't find Greek yogurt.

Top with a handful of chopped up green onions and a handful of walnuts.

In a small cup mix together some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey (like you would a salad dressing).

Pour on the dressing and serve immediately.

This might sound strange but it was an epiphany when we first had it in Bulgaria. It is incredibly delicious!

Pumpkin Yogurt Bread (from Stonyfield)

For two loaves:

3 eggs
1 1/5 cups brown sugar or sucanat
2 cups plain yogurt
1 t vanilla
1/3 cup oil
16 oz can of pumpkin (or you can use homemade pureed squash or sweet potato)

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 Tbsp baking soda
1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1 t salt
cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice to taste
a few handfuls of walnuts and raisins are a great addition

Beat the eggs until fluffy then beat in the rest of the wet ingredients above. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Mix together wet and dry and put in 2 greased loaf pans. Sprinkle with cinnamon cardamom sugar. Bake at 350 for about 55 minutes.

Potato Eggplant Curry

Slice eggplant up into 2 inch thin slices. Broil 6 minutes, turn over and broil another 3 or so minutes. Set aside

Chop up and boil 3 small potatoes until tender. Set aside

In a cuisinart, combine 1/4 onion, 2 cloves garlic, jalapeno, grated ginger, tumeric, chili, coriander, mustard, cumin, and 1/2 cup or peanuts or 1-2 tbsp peanut butter. If using peanuts, you'll need to add water until a thick paste forms. Set aside

Saute 1/4 onion, chopped.

note: I made this dish along with chicken saag so I threw the chopped up chard stems left over from that dish (see blog listing for chicken saag) into this and sauteed them with the onions.

Once the onions are tender, throw in 2 Roma tomatoes diced, the potatoes, the eggplant, and the peanut sauce. Add 1/4-1/2 cup water to make it saucy. You can add 1/2 cup yogurt too. Cook down for 5 minutes or so.

Stir in some chopped up cilantro.

Chicken Saag with Fresh Greens

Use fresh spinach, mustard greens, or chard. Use only the leaves (save the stems for use in another dish). Wash the leaves and put in a saucepan on med heat. Cook about 5 minutes until totally wilted. Cuisinart along with some 2 cloves garlic and freshly grated ginger.

Meanwhile saute the chicken with some finely diced onion and tomatoes. Stir in the sauce and add lots of ground coriander, a pinch of tumeric, and a pinch of chili (or to taste). cook until chicken is done. Stir in 1/2 cup yogurt (optional) and a big scoop of garam masala.

Black Bean Corn Salad

In a bowl, mix together 1 can of Black Beans (preferably Goya), 1-2 ears worth of corn (can use frozen), 1/2 red bell pepper diced, 1/2 onion diced, 1 clove garlic chopped up, 1 jalapeno diced, and a handful of chopped cilantro. Sprinkle in a good amount of cumin and chili powder. Finish with a splash of olive oil.

Everything muffins

These are absolutely delicious!

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup wheat bran
handful of oats (maybe like 1/3 cup?)
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
pinch of salt
2 carrots, grated (if you have a food processor that grates, use it!)
1 apple, diced into very small pieces
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup pecans
1/2 t cinnamon

1 egg
1/2 cup honey
1/4 oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup yogurt

combine, bake at 400 for 17 minutes, plus or minus.

Garlic and Bean Soup

Start by sauteing 12 cloves garlic.

Add 10.5 cups water, 4 carrots, 6 stalks celery, 2 diced onions, and 2 cans of garbanzo beans. Cook until celery is done.

Add juice of 1 lemon, chopped cilantro. Blend well.

There were a few things that we'll do differently next time we make this soup. First off, we substituted 3 cups of stock for water because we had it lying around, which helped.

Better proportions would be 8 cups of water/stock, 5-6 carrots, 3 stalks celery, and two cans of beans. White beans might work better than garbanzos, really. And if you're in a rush, maybe do without the celery entirely, it takes forever to cook.

Spanish/Mexican Rice

In a skillet, brown 2 cups rice (we use brown basmati) along with 1 chopped onion and some garlic in olive oil.

Meanwhile bring 4 cups chicken broth to boil. Add 1 cup diced tomatoes (canned is fine) and a pinch of oregano. Add the rice, simmer covered until rice is done.

Stir in some cilantro leaves and fresh lime juice.

Cardamom Cake

1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda
cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and lots of cardamom (preferably freshly ground)

1 1/2 cup applesauce (I only had 1/2 cup so I substituted 3/4 cup yogurt and 1/4 cup canola oil)
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Put in 9x9 pan, sprinkle with cardamom cinnamon sugar (combine cardamom, cinnamon, and sugar in a spice shaker) and bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Spicy Molasses Raisin Muffins

1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup dark molasses (can substitute a little honey to make it sweater)
1+ cup applesauce

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t cardamom
pinch of cloves
3/4 cup raisins

Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes.

Harvard Granola

4 cups whole oats
1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1 cup pecan pieces
1 cup walnut pieces
2 T brown sugar

Mix dry, then add a few splashes of olive oil (optional), 1/2 cup of honey/maple syrup diluted with 1/2 cup of water.

Place on a baking sheet and toast at 300 for 10 minutes. Stir around and toast another 10 or more minutes.

Add dried fruit once it cools.

For a crispier granola, cook at 350 for 10-12 minutes, stir, and another 10.

Chicken Cacciatore

For this recipe you need a good sauce. Check out the Petrocelli Pasta Sauce or Caitlyn's lasagna sauce in this blog if you need inspiration. Or for you Norfolk folks, La Bella in Ghent sells a fantastic homemade tomato sauce!

Preheat oven to 375. Make a wet spice sauce with a little water, lots of basil, oregano, salt, pepper, crushed fennel, and garlic. Heat up some olive oil in a skillet on high heat. When it is good and hot, quickly brown 3-4 chicken breasts (whole, don't chop) then remove to a plate. Then quickly brown 2 zucchinis sliced and 1 onion sliced. In an 9x13 pan (a little smaller is fine), pour half your sauce on the bottom, place your veggies and chicken on next, pour over your wet spices, and then top with the rest of your sauce. Cover the pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. While it is still hot, lay some parmesan slices on top for melty cheese goodness.

Irish Soda Bread

3 cups whole grain pastry flour (or 2 cups whole grain pastry and 1 cup all purpose)
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 t powder
1 t soda
1-2 T sugar
1 T orange zest
1/2 cup currants soaked in 3 T water
1 stick butter at room temp
1 1/2 cup buttermilk

Mix dry, cut in butter, add currants and zest. Add buttermilk--start with 1 cup and then add more until a kneedable dough is formed. Kneed and then form into a circular loaf. Butter a souffle pan, Cut a cross into the top of the loaf, brush with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar. Put in the souffle pan. Bake at 250 for 34-45 min (turn down to 325 if it starts to brown)

Caitlyn's Lasagna

Lasagna

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Spaghetti Sauce
No-boil lasagna noodles (Barilla)
Ricotta cheese (16 oz. container)---low fat ok but full fat richer
Part-Skim Mozzarella (8 oz., about 3 cups grated)--or shredded gouda and jarlsberg, see note below
Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup, plus more for top of lasagna)
1 egg
Frozen chopped spinach (2 boxes), thawed and squeezed dry
1/8-1/4 t. Nutmeg
Pepper

Combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, nutmeg, pepper, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, and egg. Then I follow the assembly directions on the back of the pasta box! 1 cup sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture ( I just try to divide it up into three or four portions), 1 cup mozzarella, and repeat. I end with a layer of sauce, and sprinkle parmesan cheese on the top. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for about 50 minutes, and then another 5 to 10 to let the cheese brown.

I discovered that full fat ricotta cheese tastes better (kind of goes without saying), so I just go a little light on the mozzarella to make up for it. A 9x13 pan or something a bit smaller is fine too. Depending on the depth of the pan, you will either get 3 or 4 layers, keeping in mind the noodles will expand.

Note: January 2014, I just made this lasagna and as I was assembling it I realized I was out of shredded mozzarella. I quickly grated up the cheeses that I did have, which were gouda and jarlsberg and used that instead. I also doubled the spinach and used low fat ricotta. The result was spectacular!!

Easy Spaghetti Sauce

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 T. dried basil
¼ t. dried oregano
1 (big) can crushed tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 medium can diced tomatoes
1 small can chopped mushrooms (optional)
olive oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pan

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until the onion is translucent, a bit of browning is ok. I add a little bit of salt, depending on whether the tomatoes are low-sodium or not. Add the herbs and a bit of ground pepper, or a pinch of crushed red pepper if you want a bit of spiciness. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, and mushrooms, if using. Stir all ingredients together, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for an hour or 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

If you have access to fresh herbs, a little tarragon is nice in this. This recipe has a lot of tomato paste, but it helps give it a more concentrated flavor, like it was on the stove all day.

This will make enough for lasagna, with some left over pasta or whatever.

Spaghetti Squash Salad

Cut squash in half, remove seeds. Boil halves until just tender, about 15 minutes

Meanwhile combine 3 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp lime zest

Toast 1 cup almond flakes

When squash is cool, scrape out strands qith fork, toss and pat dry. Add 1 grated carrot, almonds, 3 scallions chopped, 2 tbsp cilantro, 2 tbsp fresh mint. Toss, pour dressing over.

Moroccan Stew

In a big pot, saute sliced jalapeno, onion, garlic, fresh grated ginger, 1 lb diced chicken breast.

Add a big can of diced tomatoes with the juice, some chili, nutmeg, Clove, Coriander, Cumin,
Cinnamon, 3 Carrots chopped, Zucchini diced, a diced bell pepper, chopped Figs and dried apricots

Pour in enough chicken or veggie stock to cover. After 5 minutes, add 1 can of drained chickpeas. Cook until chicken is done.

Serve over cous cous, topped with slivered almonds and fresh mint.

Lentils with Spinach

Cook a cup of chana dal or yellow split peas in some salt water.

Meanwhile heat some oil, and toss in some black mustard seeds, toast for 2 minutes until they sputter and start to bounce. Add some garlic, onion, grated ginger, and chili. Saute 5 minutes more. Throw in a package of frozen spinach or a lot of fresh spinach. Cook about 10 minutes until liquid is absorbed (if using frozen) or the spinach is cooked (if using fresh). Add coriander and garam masala. Stir in the dal and serve with naan bread or rice.

Rainbow Chard with Beets, Raisins, and Pinenuts

Start with fresh rainbow chard and beets (ie from your garden or Whole Foods or a COOP). If you can get both golden and red beets, the dish is extra pretty.

Wash everything well! Cut off the leaves from the stems of the chard. If the beet greens are in good shape, use these along with the chard. Shred the leaves and chop up the stems (keep them separate).

Steam or boil the leaves until they are tender.

Boil or roast the beets until tender. Put immediately into cold water and rub the skins off. Cut into bite size pieces.

Saute the stems until they start to soften, then add the onion, garlic, raisins and some chopped up tomatoes. Add a jalepeno or some chili if desired. When the stems are tender, add the leaves and some lime juice.

Put the greens in a pretty dish (leave behind any liquid) and top with the beets, some more raisins, toasted pine nuts, and some goat cheese (optional).

Chicken Korma

Blend 1 onion for 1 minute. Add 2 T tomato paste, 1/2 cup cashew nuts, garam masala, garlic, chili, lemon, tumeric, salt, and 1 T yogurt. Blend

Heat oil in a pan, pour in onion mixture. Cook a couple minutes, add a handful of fresh cilantro, a small handful golden raisins and 1 lb of cubed chicken. Cover and simmer until chicken is done. Serve with rice.

Raspberry Pie

8" Crust: Put 10 graham crackers in cuisinart. Blend to crumbs. Add 3 T oil and 3 T maple syrup, blend. Put in pie pan, prick with fork, bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool completely!

Puree 2 cups raspberries, add 1/2-1 cup sugar, 2T-1/4 cup corn starch, 1/8 t salt, 1/4-1/2 cup water, 2 T lemon, simmer for 1 minute

Scoop fresh berries into pan, spoon on puree, more berries, rest of the puree

Chill for 2-4 hours.

Cauliflower with Lentils

Fill a saucepan bigger than the cauliflower half full with water, bring to boil. Put the whole cauliflower in with the stem end down, and simmer for 10 minutes or until just tender. Strain and cut up

Cook 2 cups lentils

Saute up some garlic, onions, 5 tomatoes, bayleaf, and lots of olive oil and/or butter (it is tastier with butter and healthier with oil so I do oil here and butter with the cauliflower--see below). Add to lentils along with Indian spices and fresh grated ginger

Saute cauliflower pieces in butter (or oil) until browned. Add lentil/tomato mixture. Top with fresh cilantro and some lemon.

Banana Bran muffins

Preheat to 375

1 egg (or 2 egg whites)
1/3 cup maple syrup or 1/2 cup brown sugar
3 bananas, mashed
1/3 cup oil or 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup raisins and/or walnuts
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or white flour)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat bran
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

opt: handful of chocolate chips

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar (or cinnamon/cardamom sugar) on the
top of each!! Makes 12 muffins. Bake 20-25
minutes. They are really healthy and absolutely
delicious. ENJOY!

Variation: For a lighter muffin, stick to the canola oil (no flax), use wheat germ instead of wheat bran, and use 1 cup of ww pastry and 1/2 cup of white whole wheat. Everything else is the same.

Tostones (fried plantains)

Use the greenest (molted yellow is fine) plantains you can find. You can use the ripe ones(dark yellow of black), but these will be sweeter (still delicious though!).

Peel and Slice in 1/2 inch to 1 inch slices. Boil or fry in oil until soft enough to mash. Using the back of a glass (oiled), squish plantain slices. Fry each one in hot olive oil until crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. Top with a healthy shaking of salt! If you use the sweet ones, you can still top with salt or experiment with sugar and eating it as a dessert.

Serve immediately.

Black Beans and Rice

Sautee up some garlic, onions, and veggies like peppers and zucchini. Add a can or two of GOYA black beans, lots of cumin, chili powder, a little salt. Cook until veggies are tender. Serve over basmati rice, and top with avocado slices and fresh cilantro.

For a treat, serve with fried plantains.

Roasted Red Pepper Tofu pasta

Broil 2 big red peppers. You want to blacken each side, so turn it every 4 minutes until all 4 sides are blackened. Put them in a paper bag or airtight container for a few minutes, then peel and seed them.

Toast 1/4 cup of almonds, then cuisinart them until they turn to dust. Add some garlic and puree with the nuts. Add 1/4 block of tofu (the softer the better) and cuisinart that. Add peppers, some paprika and a little cayenne, and puree. Leave out the cayenne if you are using hot paprika. Then while the cuisinart is going, add 3 T olive oil and 2 T balsamic.

Serve with farfalle pasta tossed with 1 cup of peas and a big handful of baby arugula leaves.

Chana Masala

Your wet masala consists of turmeric, chili, coriander, garlic, fresh ginger, very finely chopped onion, and enough water to make it slushy.

Throw on oil on skillet with cumin seeds and a chili (dried or 1/2 of a fresh). Once the seeds start popping, add a couple tsp of gram flour (chick pea flour. Then throw in the wet masala. After a short bit add one big pureed tomato (or four pureed roma tomatoes) and a can of chickpeas.
Cook until the tomatoes cook down into a nice gravy.

Stir in a tremendous scoop of garam masala.

Serve over rice or with naan, with a slice of lemon and cilantro.

Oatmeal, Chocolate, Cranberry, Pecan Cookies

Chocolate Cranberry Pecan Cookies

2 cups oats
1 ¼ cup flour (can change the balance and do 2 cups flour and 1 ¼ oats but I like more oats)
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt

2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 stick butter
½ cup peanut or almond butter
2 tsp vanilla

1cup craisins
1cup pecans
1cup chocolate chips

350 for 11-14 minutes

It is very important to whip the eggs, butter/nutbuuter, and sugar together until smooth before adding the dry ingredients. Otherwise the dough will be too dry. This is especially true if your nut butter is dry/crumbly.

This recipe works great if you half it, and then you can fit it on one cookie sheet and eat them all in one night!

You can increase the amount of nutbutter and decrease the butter if you want. The dough might be a little more dry (see first note above) and the cookies a little crumblier, but they will be just as delicious and healthier!

If it's just too dry you can add a splash of milk or cream.

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

1 ½ c oats
1 ¼ c whole wheat pastry
¾ t cinnamon
1 t powder
¾ t soda
1 c applesauce
½ c skimmilk or 1 mashed banana or buttermilk
½ c brown sugar
3 T oil
1 egg white
Dried cranberries or raisins!!!

Combine dry and wet separately. Combine, 400degrees
20-22minutes

Optional topping: ¼ c oats, 1 T brown sugar, cinnamon and 1 T butter)

Lemon Asparagus Pasta

Saute a shallot, some garlic, a whole lemon's worth of lemon zest (the zest doesn't need to cook long). Add a half cup white wine along with the juice of that lemon, and cook down. Add olive paste and turn off the heat.

Meanwhile, cook your pasta, and add a bunch of asparagus (cut into thirds) and a shredded carrot (use a peeler) into the pasta water 4 minutes before the pasta is done.

Drain and throw it all together with chopped parsley, grated parmesan, and crushed red pepper flakes. Mmmm!

Curried Butternut Squash Lentil Soup

From Cafe Brenda

Saute 1 onion, 6 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup grated ginger. Add 1 1/2 T curry powder. Add 5 1/2 cups butternut squash or sweet potato, 1 cup chopped carrots, 1 cup diced red pepper. Saute 5 minutes

Add 2 cups red lentils, 8 cups stock, 14 oz coconut milk.

Cook till squash and lentils are done (25-45 minutes)

Add lime juice and serve with cilantro sprinkled on top.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Roast 1 butternut squash, in bite size chunks (about 45 minutes at 400)

Meanwhile saute other veggies in olive oil(red pepper and baby spinach make a nice combo). Also start heating a pan of veggie broth and white wine (start with 32 oz broth and 1 cup wine and add more as needed)

In a tall sauce pan, heat olive oil and saute 1 onion, chopped well. Once the onion is soft, add risotto. Stir around for a minute, then slowly start ladling in your hot broth/wine. KEEP STIRRING. You should be stirring constantly and add new broth only as the last ladleful as been absorbed.

When risotto is done, add parmesan (about 1 cup parmesan for every cup of dried risotto), veggies, and squash.

Put in serving dish and top with more parmesan.

Hazelnut Eggplant Sauce with Fettucine

Roast 4 little eggplants or 1 large eggplant at 400 for about an hour, until completely limp and collapsing. If you are short on time, cut the eggplant in half and microwave 4-7 minutes (depending on the size), turning the eggplant over half way. Then stick it in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Scrape out flesh and blend with:

2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts
4 T olive oil
1 t salt

Stir in
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 pinch red pepper flakes

Put over fettucine and sprinkle with feta and/or parmesan.

Tandoori Salmon

Preheat oven to 500

Combine:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 t grated gingerroot
Indian spices and paprika

Put in a plastic bag and add four 4 oz salmon filets. Mix around to coat fish. Chill in fridge 20 minutes.

Oil a broiler pan and roast about 12 minutes

Roasted Cumin Carrots

Heat oven to 400
On a baking sheet, combine:

1 1/2 lbs thin carrots, quatered lengthwise,
2 T olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Roast 25 minutes or until carrots are tender

Meanwhile in a bowl combine:
1 orange, segmented with as much pith removed as possible
1/4 t cumin
2 scallions, chopped
1 T olive oil

When carrots are done, place in serving dish and spoon orange mixture over top.

Hummus

This is approximate (I never measure)

2 cups canned bonzos, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of one big lemon or more to taste
1-2 clove garlic
salt and cumin as desired

Cuisinart the beans, garlic, lemon, and tahini while pouring in a steady stream of olive oil as it blends until desired consistency is reached.

For a more elaborate Hummus, try this Greek recipe

• 2 1/2 cups of canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of tahini
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/3 cup of water
• parsley and olive oil to garnish

Edamame Hummus

1 1/2 cup edamame
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t coriander
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup Italian Parsley
3 T water
3 T tahini
3 T lemon juice

Cuisinart all of the above and then sprinkle on top
1/2 tsp paprika

Pumpkin Maple Cake

(Note, this recipe is meant to be made with sweet potatoes, not pumpkin. It is called "pumpkin" cake simply because it sounds more appealing. Sweet potatoes are just as delicious and healthier!).

Preheat oven to 350. Oil bundt pan.

1 1/2 cups diced sweet potatoes with skin on (so use organic) , steamed.
Blend in Cuisinart.

Then blend in
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups maple syrup
1 1/4 cups sucanat
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp vanilla

Meanwhile in another bowl, combine:

3 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry and/or spelt flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves

Pour wet ingredients into dry. Combine with spatula.

Pour into pan and bake 45-50 minutes.

Kik Alicha

cook 2 cup of yellow split peas in 4 cups water(add more later if needed).

Saute 1 small onion for 5 minutes, add 4 cloves garlic, 1 tomato chopped very finely, 1 t tumeric, 1/2 t black pepper, 1/2 t cardamom, 1-2 T freshly minced ginger. cook until garlic and ginger are done. Add 1/4 cup water and generous amount of olive oil, and simmer covered for 3 minutes. Stir into cooked peas. Add 2 t salt. Simmer until peas are very soft.

Injera

For 2 servings:

Combine 1 cup white flour, 1/4 cup Teff or whole wheat flour, 1 3/4 t baking powder, 1/2 t salt and 1 1/2 cup soda water.

Stir until lumps disappear. Cook on crepe pan like you would a crepe (pour batter, swirl pan, wait until all the raw dough is just cooked and remove).

Stack the injera one on top of the other as you cook, covering with a clean cloth to keep them moist.

Yemiser W'et

Cook 1 cup brown lentils
Saute 1 chopped onion and 4 cloves garlic. Add 2 tsp grated ginger, 1/2 t tumeric, 4 cardamom seeds crushed, 2 whole cloves, 1/8 t nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground fenugreek seeds, 1 T fresh basil, 1 tsp cumin, 1 t sweet paprika and 1 t berbere. Mix in 1 cup chopped tomato and 1/2 cup tomato paste, simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add 1 cup water or stock and continue simmering. Mix the cooked lentils into the sauce. You can add 1 cup of green peas at this point if you want.

Serve with Injera

Green Chicken Masala

Cuisinart 2 cups cilantro, 1 cup mint, 1 jalapeno, 4 garlic cloves, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 1/2 cup water.

Meanwhile saute 1 onion for 5 minutes. Add about 1 3/4 pounds chicken (best to do a combo of breasts and thighs) and 1 1/2 t tumeric and saute for 7 more minutes. Add 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/2 t cardamom, and 1/8 t cloves, saute 1 minute. Add 1 cup coconut milk and the cilantro sauce. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes or until sauce is reduced and chicken is done.

Serve with rice.

Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas

preheat 350

Mix together cooked brown rice, black beans, the flesh of 1 baked butternut or acorn squash, 1 onion, 1 bell pepper, 1 can green chilies diced and drained, cilantro, grated cheddar cheese. Roll into tortillas and place in a baking dish. Top with green enchilada sauce. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Top with cheddar cheese and serve with yogurt and avocados.

Green enchilada sauce:

* 1 pound peeled (paper skin) and washed
tomatillos, cut in halves
* 2 medium white onions coarsely chopped.
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 4-6 cloves garlic, smashed or 2 -3 teaspoons garlic powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
* 1 tablespoon mild chili powder (or to taste)
* 2 cups roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped Anaheim chilies 0r 1 4oz can diced green chilies

* 3 cups mild chicken broth
* Salt and pepper to taste

Instruction:
In a medium sauce pan, place the olive oil, onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add the broth,tomatillos, cumin, chili powder and green chilies and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cover, continue cooking until the tomatillos are soft. Cool until room temperature. At this point, you may refrigerate sauce for later or freeze. When ready, process sauce until smooth in a blender or food processor.

Spinach Souffle

Preheat oven to 375
Use room temp eggs
Prepare souffle pan by buttering bottom and sides and coating with grated Parmesan cheese (grate a handful in and then rotate pan until evenly covered, dump out any extra)

In a saucepan melt 3 Tb butter. When the butter starts bubbling add 3 Tb yellow cornmeal and stir. Let cook a minute or so until it starts to brown. Then add 1 1/2 cups HOT milk (not boiling). Whisk until it thickens. Turn off heat and add splash of Worcestershire sauce and a sprinkle of yellow mustard. Remove pan from heat

You will now be separating eggs so get a bowl for the whites and put it next to the saucepan with your sauce. Separate 3 eggs, putting the yolks in the sauce (whisk each one immediately into the sauce) and the whites in their own bowl. Add 2 more whites (for a total of 3 yolks and 5 whites--you can do 4 and 6 for a slightly bigger souffle).

Add 1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese to the sauce. Add a handful of chopped spinach (optional) to the sauce.

Whip the whites until they are stiff (not dry). Carefully, carefully fold the whites into the sauce. Pour everything into the buttered souffle pan and place in the middle of oven. Cook for 40 minutes. Do not stomp while it is cooking. Take it out, admire, and serve immediately.

This makes enough for 2 very hungry people.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

3/4 cup sugar (succanaut, date, agave, maple, brown, brown rice syrup or combo...)
1/2 cup fruit sweet or fruit juice reduction or apple butter
1/3 c oil
1 t vanilla
1 egg
2 egg whites
1/3 cup soymilk as needed (may not need the full amount)
1/3 c applesauce

1 t baking soda
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 c cocoa powder
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt

2 zucchinis, grated
1-1.5 cup chocolate chips

Mix dry in one bowl, wet in another. Add wet to dry alternately with the zucchini. Add the chocolate chips as you stir.

Put in oiled bunt pan Cook 50-55 minutes at 350. Let cool 10 minutes then flip pan.

Can top with powdered sugar or frosting or a glaze.

Tofu Spinach Lasagna with Basil and Olives

8 oz of whole wheat lasagna noodles
1/2 lb silken tofu
1 pound fresh spinach
2 cups basil, chopped
1/4 cup olives, chopped
1 cup grated skim mozzarella (plus more for the top)
1/2 cup parmesan
1 egg
26 oz canned diced tomatoes (or petrocelli tomato sauce)
1 onion, grated or very finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
olive oil

400 degrees, grease 8 x 12 casserole dish
Wilt spinach in large skillet over high heat, squeeze off excess moisture
Mash spinach with tofu, cheese (both kinds), basil, egg and 2 cloves of garlic

In another bowl, combine tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, onion and olives

layer in dish: half of tomato sauce, noodles, tofu filling, noodles, tofu filling, noodles, sauce, mozzarella cheese.

Bake 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.

Petrocelli Pasta Sauce

For two people, blend about 12 roma tomatoes (seeds removed) with 1 onion and at least 4 cloves of garlic. You can use a can of diced tomatoes (strained) to replace about 4 of the fresh without compromising the end result. Pour into pot and simmer until thickens (about an hour). While cooking, add olive oil and a splash of balsamic. Also, add herbs, hot pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Red wine can be added too. Serve over pasta with freshly grated parmesan on top.

Variation. Blend the tomatoes, onion, and garlic as above (can add 1 can of good tomatoes as well if you want). Pour into pot with some olive oil and a splash of balsamic. Once it cooks down add a couple handfuls of kalamata olives and a spoonful or two of capers. Use an immersion blender to break down the olives in the sauce (you can just chop them before hand if you don't have an immersion blender but I like how they get shredded and the juices get incorporated right into the sauce). Add in little pastas (shells or spirals etc) and top with freshly crumbled feta cheese and parmesan.

White Bean Provencal Soup

In a large stock pot, saute 2 cups onions, 2 cups celery, and 6 cloves garlic in olive oil. Add 4 cups water, 29 oz chicken broth, 1/2 cup white wine (optional), 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, 1 lb chicken breasts, and Bean Cuisine soup mix (includes beans, spices, and red bell pepper). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours. Shred chicken with a fork before serving. Salt to taste.

Banana Curry

Oil, mustard seeds, chopped bananas, yogurt, turmeric, chili. Shouldn't take more than two or three minutes. The yogurt will sort of seperate if you don't use greek yogurt, so try (1) to keep the skillet not too hot, and (2) to sort of drop the yogurt down on the bananas instead of on the skillet itself. This should help a bit.

This dish is a quiet epiphany.

Pasta with Broiled Eggplant

Cut an eggplant into french-fry sized strips. Oil both sides of each strip. Don't skimp on the EVOO. Array them on a pan and broil each side for five minutes, and not a minute longer. You will not eat a tastier eggplant. Throw in some pine nuts near the end of the broil.

Saute onions, garlic, tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini. Add olives, eggplant/pine nuts, pea pods, fresh basil, grated parmesan.

We put this on top of linguine.

Doro Wat

Doro Wat

½ red onion
1 lb chicken, cut in chunks
½ can tomato paste
½ cup red wine
½ cup water
2 T Berbere
Grated fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic

Cook in sauce pan until chicken is done. Serve with yogurt and injera

Polenta with Stewed Pinto Beans

Boil 5 cups water. Add 1 1/4 cups coarse corn meal and 1 tsp salt while stirring. Simmer on low for 15 minutes. Pour into 9"x9" pan and cool in fridge for an hour. Saute in hot oil at last minute.

Meanwhile... roast 2 quartered peppers at 400 for 25 minutes, blend with 1 cup tomatoes. Saute 1/2 onion and lots of garlic, add 1 cup tomatoes, pepper blend, and 3 cups pinto beans. Lots of rosemary and a little salt.

Note: Alternatively, you can make soft polenta by continuing to simmer it on the stove for another 20+ minutes, stirring regularly until it thickens into a mush (you should be able to move it away from the sides of the pan with a spoon). Serve immediately!

Vegetarian Moussaka

Straight from the Cafe Brenda cookbook.

1. Tomato Sauce: Use a really good store-bought or if you live in Norfolk, get sauce from Bellas on 22nd st. Add chopped up olives.

Or make your own: 6 cloves crushed garlic (saute briefly in olive oil before adding everything else), 2 cups chopped tomatoes (seeded and peeled), fresh herbs, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup olives. Simmer 10 minutes.


2. Slice 2 eggplants into thin strips about 1 inch wide. Cover both sides of strips in olive oil. Broil for 5 minutes on each side. Set aside

3. Cook up 1/2 cup lentils: cover with 1 1/2 cups salted water, bring to boil, simmer for 15 or until tender.

4. Slice 3-4 big yukon gold potatoes (you'll want about 2 cups or a little more) into 1/4 inch slices. Simmer on stove in water 5 minutes or until tender but not mushy

5. Slice up 1 big onion and saute with 6 cloves of crushed garlic

6. Bechamel sauce: Bring 1 1/2 cups milk to boil in microwave. Set aside. Meanwhile make your roux. Melt 2 T butter, add 2 1/2 T flour and cook 3 minutes so flour gets slightly browned. Add milk. Add 1/2 cup parmesan, salt,pepper, and pinch of nutmeg. Wisk until thick.

Layer in your casserole pan: potatoes, onions, lentils, sauce, potatoes, eggplant, bechamel. Bake at 375 covered for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 5.