Asparagus Strata

One of my favorite breakfast and brunch dishes is a strata. Strata is an easy casserole dish that is made with bread, eggs and cheese. I always add veggies to mine and since I've eliminated almost all dairy from diet, I use much less cheese. Strata is perfect to make during the upcoming holidays. You can make it the night before and pop it in the oven In the morning.

It's very easy to adapt this dish and a "recipe" is not necessary. It's a great dish to make when you have odds and ends of veggies in your fridge.This version was made with two stale rolls I had in my fridge and asparagus. Any combination of onions, mushrooms, peppers, etc works great, so use your favorites.

                      

Asparagus Strata

2 C stale bread cubes

1 bunch of asparagus, tough ends removed and cut into two inch pieces

1/4 C fresh parsley

10 lg eggs

1/4 C coconut milk creamer (or your preference...soy, almond, etc)

1/4 C shredded imported Parmesan

sea salt and pepper

1-2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10 in square baking dish and set aside. In a sauté pan over medium low heat, briefly sauté the asparagus and a pinch of salt in olive oil for a few minutes. Add the bread cubes, asparagus and parsley to the baking dish, arranging them evenly. Whisk together the eggs, creamer and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the bread and asparagus. Sprinkle the Parmesan on top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 mins or until golden brown. Serves 4-6

         

Farro Risotto with Shiitake Mushrooms

I was first introduced to farro by Christina Pirello, at one of her cooking classes. I fell in love with it while vacationing in Italy this summer. It's similar to barley, but has a sweeter flavor and a chewier texture. Farro has more protein than quinoa, it's an excellent source of fiber, and can be used in soups, stews and salads.

It comes pearled, semi pearled or whole. Pearled cooks the fastest, but you lose some of the nutrition. If you can find it, whole farro is your best option, but I also have semi pearled in my pantry in case I'm in a rush. With whole farro, you can soak it prior to cooking to help speed up the cooking time.

This recipe used whole farro. Your cooking time will be shorter if you're using pearled and you won't have to soak it.

                              

Farro Risotto with Shiitake Mushrooms

1 C uncooked whole farro (soaked in water for at least an hour)

1/2 lg onion, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic, finely diced

3-4 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Generous pinch of sea salt

8-10 shiitake mushrooms, sliced and stems removed

1/4 C white wine

3+ C of hot vegetable broth (the amount depends on the type of farro you use....have extra just in case)

In a large sauté pan, combine oil, onions and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and sauté over low heat 3-4 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and the drained farro. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and stir until absorbed.

Gradually add the hot broth, one half cup at a time, until the broth is absorbed and the farro is al dente. Again, you may need less or more broth, depending on the farro.

This recipe serves 3-4 people and can be halved for 1-2 servings.

Roasted Squash with Whole Wheat Cous Cous

Roasted Squash with Whole Wheat Cous Cous

1 small butternut squash, skin and seeds removed, peeled and diced into chunks

2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into chunks

1/2 C whole wheat cous cous, cooked according to package directions

1/4 cup pepitas

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. (I use the convection roast setting)

Prepare the cous cous according to package directions. 

While the cous cous is cooking, add the squash to a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Combine well with your hands or a large spoon until the squash is evenly coated with oil and seasoning. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet with a raised edge. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, then use a spatula to turn the squash over. Roast an additional 20 minutes or until squash is lightly browned.

Toast the pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) for a few minutes in a small, dry fry pan. Be careful not to burn them!

Combine all the ingredients and serve.

(This dish is a hefty serving of protein. Approx 20 grams)

Curried Coconut Cauliflower Soup

Curried Coconut Cauliflower Soup

1 head of cauliflower, chopped

1 medium onion, diced

1 C dried yellow split peas (or red lentils)

1 can of coconut milk

2 -3 tsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp Thai Style Green Curry spice blend

4 C water

Add the olive oil, curry and onion to a stock pot. Saute over medium heat until the onions soften. Add the peas and water, then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add the cauliflower and simmer until it's very soft and breaks apart easily with a fork. 

Using an immersion blender, blender or processor, puree the soup until it's smooth. Add the coconut milk and pulse until combined.

Return to the stock pot to keep warm until ready to serve.

Note: I used a spice blend from Dangold, but you can season it to taste with curry, salt, pepper, chili, coriander, etc.

Sunshine Soup

While driving home from work today, I was thinking about a delicious "summer" soup that I had at Christina Pirello's cooking class. It was made with finely diced zucchini, carrots, peppers, corn and millet. I decided to recreate it the best I could from memory. 

For some reason, Whole Foods didn't have any zucchini, which seems strange on July 1st in Philadelphia.  I decided to use yellow squash instead. Then I found a bag of beautifully colored organic carrots. So now, the wheels start spinning in my head. I decide that I'm going to make a soup with yellow vegetables and ribbons of finely sliced kale. There's no reason why healthy food can't be pretty too, right?

As I'm looking down into the pot of gloriously gold soup, I'm trying to think of what to call it. "Sunshine" comes to mind but I wasn't sure if there already was a Sunshine Soup. I google it and sure enough there are all sorts of "Sunshine" soups. Here's my version. I wonder what YOUR version will be?  :-D

Sunshine Soup

1 yellow onion, diced

1/2 C diced daikon

1 yellow squash, diced

3 yellow carrots, diced

1 C frozen organic yellow corn

1/2 C dry yellow split peas

1 C cooked brown rice

4 leaves of kale

6 C water

salt and pepper

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

In a soup pot, add the olive oil, onion, daikon and carrots. Saute over medium heat. After a few minutes, add the yellow squash and season lightly with salt and pepper. Saute a few minutes more until onion is clear and veggies soften. 

Add the yellow split peas and six cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the kale.

Remove the stalks by slicing as close as possible then entire length of the leaves. Take the two pieces from each leaf and roll tightly (like a cigar), tip to tip. Slice into thin ribbons and set aside. 

After the soup has simmered for thirty minutes, add the corn and brown rice. Heat for a few minutes more, then add the kale. Cook just until the kale has wilted.

Serves 4-6

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potato fries are easy to make and so much healthier than regular french fries. ONE sweet potato has the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, which is necessary for a strong immune system, good eyesight and beautiful skin.

Using cornstarch instead of flour makes this recipe gluten free.

Sweet Potato Fries

3 large sweet potatoes

3 TBS flour or cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 TBS of extra virgin olive oil or organic expeller pressed canola oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Peel the skin from potatoes. Cut potatoes lengthwise into thin strips. Start by cutting potatoes in half so that the flat side prevents the potato from moving, which helps prevent YOU from cutting yourself! 

Place the fries into a large plastic zipper type bag or a large bowl. Sprinkle the flour/cornstarch and seasonings over the fries and mix well. The fries should be completely coated. Add the oil and toss until coated and no dry flour/cornstarch is visible. 

Arrange fries in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and turn fries over using a spatula. Return to oven and bake another 15-20 minutes or until fries have turned  a dark golden brown.

This recipe serves four people. A delicious dipping sauce would be some vegan mayo mixed with a little horseradish. Enjoy!

Lentil Soup with Mushrooms

Don't remove soup from your weekly diet just because it's summer! Soup is a year round dish! It's good for digestion and eating hot foods (temperature and spice) will help you feel cooler. Local vegetables offer you dozens of options. A bowl of soup with some salad is the perfect "light" summer meal. I made some lentil soup tonight because I was craving lentils and mushrooms. It's quick and easy to make and you can easily adapt the quantity. This recipe makes 4-6 bowls.

Lentil Soup with Mushrooms

1 C green lentils rinsed (I used small Spanish lentils)

1 lg onion finely diced

10-12 Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and finely diced

1/2 C (approx) Maitake mushroom, finely diced

4 C water

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp ground pepper

2 well rounded TBS barley miso, dissolved in 1/2 C warm water

2-3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

In a small stockpot, combine olive oil, onion and mushrooms. Saute over medium heat until onions are clear and softened. Add the lentils, water, bay leaves and spices. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for about 30-45 minutes. When the lentils are soft and the soup has thickened, remove the bay leaves and add the dissolved miso. Turn off heat and allow soup to rest a few minutes before serving. (This will activate the healthy bacteria in the miso. Remember....don't boil miso!) 

I garnished the soup with fresh oregano because it's taking over my garden! Cilantro or fresh parsley would also be good.