Holiday Leftovers: Pumpkin Edition

After four days of eating my body weight's worth of mashed potatoes and dessert and washing it all down with my body weight's worth of beer, I realized I still have a leftover can of pumpkin sitting in my cabinet.

Being a firm supporter of pumpkin everything all the time, I was completely okay with this discovery and ready to embrace some puree.

Despite the enthusiasm I was not completely ready for another Thanksgiving-esque meal so I wanted to avoid the typical creamy, sweet, cinnamon soup that is usually associated with pumpkin - a bowl full of spice was the perfect way.

Here, the pumpkin is really used as a way to build up the soup base by creating a thick broth that has a natural creaminess without actually using cream.  Including the chorizo brings a lot of much needed spice and flavor into the picture - if you're vegetarian try opting for a vegetarian sausage alternative or substituting chickpeas and adding some red pepper and smoked sea salt to make up for the flavor.  On the other hand, if you are not down to hang with some spice, try substituting a sweet fennel sausage that will still give you a good flavor base without the heat.  And don't forget to add some heaping handfuls of greens to balance out the bowl before enjoying!

Pumpkin Soup with Chorizo and Spinach

Ingredients

• 3 T olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 chorizo sausages*
• 2 t herbs of choice, like sage or basil
• 3 t spices of choice, like turmeric, smoked paprika, and cinnamon
• Salt, black pepper, red pepper
• 1 can squash or pumpkin
• 2 cans of water
• 2 large handfuls of spinach

Combine:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers.  Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring in between to keep the onion from burning.  Push the onions to the edges of the pot then add in the chorizo.  Let the chorizo brown then give the pot a good stir.  Cook for 5 more minutes until the chorizo is evenly browned and onions are translucent yellow.
2. Add the spices and herbs to the pot and cook for one minute, stirring often until the onions and chorizo are well coated.  Stir in the can of pumpkin and two cans of water, turn the heat up to high until the pot boils.
3. Continue to boil for 5 minutes then simmer for 30, stirring periodically so the ingredients don't stick to the bottom of the pan.  Stir in a few large handfuls of spinach and cook until wilted.
4. Enjoy!

*If you use freshly made sausages, break open the casing and use just the meat for the recipe.  If you use pre-cooked sausages, slice them up before browning.

Shroom bowls

In the last few days multiple people have asked me about what good things I've been cooking lately, but instead of wowing the crowd with a description of something delicious I've only been able to respond with a feeling of deep sadness because lately, life has been quite a trip.

I'll save you all the sob story but after wading through a swamp of school work and crawling out from under the ever growing pile of work work only to be sucked into the media swirl of the election all while turning a whole year older, there hasn't been much time (read: energy) to spend in the kitchen.

But instead of spending time longingly dreaming about all of the recipes I wished I had made time to make lately, I dug deep and thought about all the meals I had been making lately - because it's never the complete truth when I say I haven't been up to anything.

So here I share with you the non-cooking list.

If you're also up to your eyes in to-do lists or just have some Post-Trump Depression, take notes and cook what you can:

1.  The best way to non-cook is to make one item that you can use multiple ways.  I'll roast sweet potatoes, fennel, or beets at the beginning of the week then use them to fancify meals throughout the week.  Of course tossing some into a salad is a given, but try roasted fennel on toast with persimmon or lox, or place roasted potatoes on a plate, top with an egg, and microwave for 1-3 minutes to enjoy in the morning.

2.  Easy soups.  You might think all soup is easy to make but that's a lie.  Some soup recipes are a lot of work because they have tons of ingredients with different cook times or require multiple prep methods (puree, roast, etc.) that really just turn out to be a nuisance... the list of traits goes on but I think you know what I mean: grab ingredients for simple lentil soups, chili, or anything made in a slow-cooker so you can enjoy your day and your dinner too!

3.  Lastly, we have the lazy salad in disguise as seen here.

For those of you who don't already know, I like to think of sautes as lazy salads in disguise.

If I took all these ingredients and ate them cold, I would be sad.  By taking all these ingredients and giving them a little saute I not only save myself the effort it takes to make a dijon vinaigrette, but also get to trick my brain into thinking it's eating some sort of masterpiece.

The taste buds ain't mad, so catch the recipe below to get non-cooking!

Mushroom Bowls

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c brown rice
• 1 T mustard seeds
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 T red wine vinegar
• 2 c mushrooms, chopped (I used cremini)
• 1 t red pepper
• 1-2 t thyme or rosemary
• 4 c kale, chopped
• Salt, pepper, and olive oil as needed
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Garnish: Gruyere, grated

Combine:

1. Cook the brown rice according to directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat until the oil shimmers.  Then add in the mustard seeds and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and saute for another 2.
4. Add in 1 tablespoon of the vinegar to deglaze the pan, then push the onions to the edges and add the mushrooms.  Continue to cook these until the juices come out and they are starting to brown.  Add in the rest of the vinegar and give the pan a good stir.  Toss in the chickpeas, kale, and rice until well mixed.
5. Top with gruyere and enjoy!

Sick Soup

The day's assignment: a simple loop run at training pace; longer but not exceptionally fast.

Along with the regular group I set out for the run.

After each step, I found myself sliding my tongue over my teeth.  After each mile, I noticed.   After each half way mark, I questioned myself: your breathing is good, your muscle's are fine, are you hungry?

As each stride became a fight, I struggle to form the logic behind the excuse: my face hurts.

It was my first sinus infection and to me it made no sense, but hundreds of tooth-achey steps later I've developed a punch packed all natural team:  ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, ACV, and (of course) netti pot.

Oh, and soup, lots and lots of soup.

Like this one that helped me survive my first cold of the season.  A turmeric and ginger boosted base that will help raise your immune system while fighting inflammation, the warming cayenne in the broth will help melt your nose off your face, and the silken tofu will help keep you full while giving you an energy boost - so you can lace up your shoes a little tighter and keep striding!

Silk Soup with Ginger and Turmeric

Ingredients

• 3 c veggie broth
• 2 T grated ginger
• 2 t turmeric
• 3 cl garlic, minced
• 1/2 t cayenne powder
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 1/4 T rice vinegar
• 1 block silken tofu
• 2 servings rice noodles
• 2 c mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1/4 c parsley or cilantro
• 1/4 c scallions
• 1-2 limes, juiced and zested

Combine

1. Bring the broth, ginger, turmeric, garlic, cayenne, and soy sauce to a boil in a large pot over high heat.
2. Crumble the tofu into the pot and continue to boil for 15 minutes then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for another 15 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms, carrot, and rice noodles and boil for another 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the parsley, scallions, and lime.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Peaceful

Between working fifty hour weeks, sneaking in the gym when I can, and taking classes at night I have to admit I've been referring to snacks as "dinner" a lot more often lately.

I call it survival mode but we all know it.

That period when so many things eat up the hours of your week that you're left debating whether your lukewarm green smoothie is truly a better decision than a granola bar would have been while dreaming of a super amazing, knock your socks off, don't have to do anything for the rest of the day because it was such an accomplishment good meal.

The weekend arrives and you can make whatever you want.

Technically.

The truth is you've just survived the week.

You've probably slept until noon and you're still a little tired.

And while lazily writing your grocery list over a cup of 2PM coffee you're really just wishing you could swing breakfast for dinner one. more. time.

 

Luckily you can toss this together instead and enjoy it while patting yourself on the back for a dinner well done.

It's simple.

Okay, I know I say that about every meal I make, but honestly the hardest part about this dish is waiting for the rice to cook.  Which is the exact reason we do things like super carefully wash and chop our kale, and juice our lemon, and rinse our chickpeas, and do all of the dishes, and drink a beer while we wait for it to be done.

But once that rice is done you will have one mean set of ingredients to toss together and enjoy in a rare moment of peace.

When you're done you'll only have spent the time it took rice to cook making a real dinner, saving time to be spent on another enjoyment - the weekend!

Peace Bowls

Ingredients

• 3 T olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cl garlic, minced
• 1 c brown rice
• 1 t turmeric
• 1 pinch saffron, crushed
• 1/4 t coriander
• 1/2 - 1 t salt
• 2 c water
• Kale, washed, chopped
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Olive oil
• Chickpeas, rinsed
• Tahini

Combine

1. Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat until it shimmers, then toss in the onions.  Cook for 3 minutes, stirring here and there to break up the clumps and keep them from burning.  Add in the garlic and cook for another two minutes.
2. Add the rice, water, and spices and bring to a boil over high heat until the water is reduced and level with the rice.  Then turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and steam for another 30 minutes until the rice is cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, wash and chop your kale and toss it with the lemon juice and a splash of olive oil.  Set this aside so the kale can soften while the rice cooks.
4. Add a spoonful of the rice and a spoonful of the kale to a plate with some chickpeas and drizzle with tahini.
5. Toss and enjoy!

Sunshine Soup

This weekend finally marked the official change of seasons for me: I dragged boxes of sweaters out from under my bed, I brought of my heaviest down blanket, and I almost had my first-of-many near death experiences by way of going to bed in my freezing apartment with shower hair.

In addition to waking up with a serious case of bed head and an even more serious neck cramp, I found myself seriously grateful for dusting off my soup pot while taking a break from being buried beneath fluffy knitwear.

I decided to kick the soup season off with one of my simplest but favorite recipes.

Reading through the ingredient list you may notice it sounds a little different compared to most soup recipes, and I'm more than certain you're questioning the use of OJ, but a recipe followed from an aged index card never lies!

Although the orange stands out on the ingredient list, it acts as more of a background player in the actual soup itself.  It creates a beautiful aroma to help draw your hand towards the spoon, then creates this platform of brightness on which a hint of smoky paprika and herby parsley play.  Although there is a definite sweetness from the tomato, potato, and juice, their varying levels of acidity complement each other laterally rather than building up and are balanced out by a subtle hint of peppery spice.

So trust me when I say this bowl is different in a good way!

Sunshine Soup

Author unknown

Ingredients

• 2-3 T olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/2 jalapeno or 1/2 t red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 can of diced tomatoes, with the juice
• 4 c water
• 3 t salt
• 1 t smoked paprika
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 1 orange, juiced and zested
• 1 can black beans
• 1 c packed parsley leaves, roughly chopped

Combine

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers.  Add the onion and jalapeno and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and sweet potatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
3. Add in the tomatoes with the juice, water, salt, and spices.  Bring to a boil for 10 minutes then simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the black beans, orange juice, and orange zest and simmer for another 10 minutes.
5. Mix in the parsley and enjoy!

Salt Chicken

While walking home from the train station, hangry bitch face in full effect as I tried to dream up something wonderful to make for dinner, the savior voice of my conscious reminded me of salt chicken.

 

In my post-veg years this is one that has quickly become my go-to dinner, and although some might argue it's not truly a "recipe" since it's never been made the exact same way twice, it has a pretty scientific set of steps to follow:

Start with a foundation of chicken surrounded by garlic, whether it be powdered, minced, a roasted spread, or a little of all three.  Build up the plate with lots of complex greens like kale, full grown spinach, fresh arugula, or rainbow chard to give it some substance.  Then top it off with some flavorful additions that are salty, spicy, or sweet: like olives, artichokes, capers, red pepper flakes, carmelized onions, and red bell peppers.

 

The combination is versatile so it can be tossed with pasta or used to decorate a plate of polenta similar to this dish, but it brings enough flavor to the table to make it a delicious stand alone dish too.

 

Now that you know how to make this super crave worthy dish, the only thing left to question is the super blog worthy name!

 

Garlic Chicken and Kale Saute

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 3 chicken breasts, halved
• 1 T oil
• 1 t salt
• 2 t garlic
• 2 t onion
• 2 t mustard
• 1/2 t red pepper

For the saute:

• 1 sweet onion, sliced
• 3 lg cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 T olives, chopped
• Olive oil, salt, and pepper as needed
• Optional:
• 1/4 c crushed artichokes

Combine

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.  When its shimmering, drop the onions into the pan and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, coat the chicken with olive oil, sprinkle liberally with salt, then with the spices.  Scatter on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flipping the pieces once half way through.
4. When the onions start to get carmely but not browned, add 2 tablespoons of water and cook for 10 more minutes.  Add the garlic and red pepper and saute for another 10 minutes.
5. Toss in the olives and artichokes until well mixed and warmed.
6. Plate a heaping spoonful of the saute, top with chicken, enjoy!

Fused

From the other side of a move this dish is almost too good of a fit for the moment; a picture perfect feel if you will.

In retrospect, it never seemed as if all these weeks dominated by the first real, thus stereo-typically nightmarish, NYC move were leading to this equally stereotypical, but wonderful, post-move nesting moment.

And yet, the universe came through.

Somehow from brokers equivalent the devil, to flower filled windows equivalent the garden hosting a dove's nest, we made it.

Maybe being filled with these homey feels laid way for these little nesting bowls to be, but moving or not, they are something you want on your dinner table (read: stack of cardboard boxes for those of you who are moving).

Nesting Bowls

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1 lb ground chicken, turkey, or pork
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 T shallot, finely minced
• 2 t ginger, grated
• coriander
• cayenne
• clove
• cinnamon
• oil

For the nest:

• daikon
• rice vinegar
• vermicilli rice noodles
• lime, zested and juiced
• coconut oil
• salt
• mint leaves
• basil, chiffonade
• spinach
• cucumber, diced
• red pepper flakes, if desired

Combine

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Peel the daikon then chop it into little sticks.  Stir together some rice vinegar and salt until the crystals are dissolved then submerge the daikon in the bowl, adding more vinegar if needed.  Set aside.
3. Mince the garlic, shallot, and ginger.  Sprinkle the ground meat with the seasonings and gently fold together until well incorporated but not over-mixed.  Roll the mixture into one to two inch sized balls, toss in a little coconut oil, and place on the sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked, stopping to turn the pieces over and rotate the baking sheet halfway through.
4. Bring slightly salted water to a boil in a small pot.  Add the vermicelli noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Dump into a strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
5. Stir together the lime juice and zest, coconut oil, and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Toss the mint, basil, and large handfuls of spinach with the dressing until well coated.
6. Add servings of greens to bowls then add servings of noodles.  Top with daikon, extra vinegar, and cucumber.  Top with meatballs.
7. Sprinkle with extra herbs or red pepper flakes and enjoy!

They Call Me Miss Pickle

Sometime between me living on college cafeteria food and me falling so in love with food that I started a food blog, I made the decision to learn how to cook.


I kid you not, the process began with me manipulating Knorr packaged dinners, think a small step above Kraft Mac n Cheese, but eventually I moved on to just using the sauce packets that were sold separately and mixing them into other ingredients.


Strangely, this taught me more than you would think about cooking: like how different liquids changed the flavor and consistency of the sauce, what shape I liked various veggies cut to, and how to stagger the addition of ingredients without turning half to mush while leaving the other half raw.

As I dragged my friends through this process I managed to pick up a mish-mash of passed down advice which included how to soak onions:


'Why would we do that?'

"I dunno, it's how my mom does it, I think it's Romanian..."

Sold.


For that dinner we took our chopped up Vidalia onions and tossed them into a bowl of water with a little pinch of salt and waited.  A few minutes later the water had passed through each piece, taking with it the sharp onion burn and the dramatic crunch, but leaving behind the mellow sweetness and a pleasant crunch.


Since then, whether it's labeled as soaked, a quick and dirty pickle, or macerated, I've discovered that this is a pretty common means for manipulating veggies that have too much bite or too much crunch without actually bringing them under heat (yay Summer-friendly recipes).  In the case of onions, this process will make them less spicy and more flavorful while still allowing them to bring that desired crunch to a dish.  Read: your breath won't smell half as bad if you soak onions before bringing them to work for lunch.


Happy soaking!

Soaked Onions and Other Stuff

Ingredients

• Vegetables, thinly sliced or chopped
• Vinegar, warm water, or boiled water to cover
• 1/2 - 1 t salt

Combine

1. Stir together the salt and liquid until the salt is dissolved.
2. Add in the veggies.
3. Let soak for 15 minutes or longer before enjoying!

Some Suggestions:

• Beets: use half boiled water and half white vinegar for the liquid and 1-2 t of salt. Soak for 2-3 days before enjoying.
• Carrots, radish, or fennel: use half boiled water and half vinegar with 1/2 t of salt. Soak overnight before enjoying.
• Vidalia onions:  Use warm water and 1/2 a teaspoon of salt, and let soak for 15 minutes.  For more flavor use balsamic vinegar (or half water, half vinegar) and 1/2 of salt, and let soak for 30 minutes.
• Shallots: use red wine vinegar for the liquid and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Soak for 15 minutes.
• Garlic: use half warm water and half white vinegar with 1 teaspoon of salt.  Let soak for at least 15 minutes.
• Hot peppers (like jalapeños): use lime juice for the liquid and 1/2 t of salt.  Soak for 30 minutes.

Green Rice and Eggs

The memories we carry around with us over the years are a strange thing.  Why these certain instances, flavors, smells are the ones chosen to be a part of us, becoming some vivid but distorted badges of our sense of self is a puzzle.

Just like egg and pea fried rice.

I remember distinctly that this was a signature dish from my kindergarten cafeteria.  Why was this a signature dish? What did the other kids think of it?  How did I fall in love with it?

No idea.

But I do know for a fact that I was infatuated with the stuff to the point that I would beg my mom to re-create it at home.

Something about all the little pieces of oily rice, sweet peas, and sponge-y egg all jumbled together was infinitely appealing to my 5 year old self, and although I'm sure its not the worst thing a kid could've asked for dinner I've since learned it's not the healthiest choice.

Thus, in honor of the kindergarten me and spring green blooms, I offer a slightly cleaned up version.

The rice is short grain and cooked in a risotto-esque style to give it the same satisfying sauciness, tossed with leeks, kale, and (of course) peas to give it a healthy dose of veggies, then topped with sliced radish for a little crunch and a soft boiled egg for a little creaminess and protein.

Twenty years later and it still sings to my inner child - hope you enjoy!

Green Rice and Eggs

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 jalapeno, minced (optional)
• 1 1/3 c medium or short grain rice
• 2 t salt
• black pepper as desired
• 4+ c water or broth
• Coconut oil as needed
• 1/2 c frozen green peas, thawed
• 1 c leeks, thinly sliced
• 2 c kale, finely chopped
• 1-2 T grated Parmesan (optional)

Toppings:

• 1 soft boiled egg per serving
• Radish, thinly sliced

Combine:

For the toppings and veggies:

1. Prep all of your ingredients so they are ready to go when you are ready to be mixed in right when you need them.
2. Fill a small pot 3/4 of the way with water, add a tablespoon of salt, place on a burner to the side for now.  Also keep a small skillet handy.
3. When the rice is almost done (softening but still a little hard in the center) bring the water to a boil and heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium-low heat.
4. Soft cook the eggs you are using.  Meanwhile cook the leeks for 1-2 minutes, then add the peas and kale and cook until the greens are just wilted and brightened in color.

For the rice:

1. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a separate large skillet over medium heat, then add the garlic and jalapeno when shimmering or bubbling respectively.
2. Saute them for a minute while using a medium-large spatula to stir them often and making sure they don't burn or brown at all.
3. Add the rice, salt, and pepper to the pan and continue to saute for 2-3 minutes while continuing to stir often.  Again you don't want the rice to stick to the pan or burn at all, you just want to make sure it is coated well with the oil and give the seasonings a chance to soak into the rice.
4. Add in 1/2 a cup of water or broth and stir while letting it evaporate - this will happen pretty quickly.
5. Add in 1 full cup of liquid.  Use the spatula to gently fold the rice into itself, when most of the liquid has cooked off add another 1/2 cup.
6. Add another two 1/2 cups in this method then test the texture of the rice.  It should be softening but still be a little hard in the center - this means you will have about 1 or 2 more additions of liquid until it is ready.
7. Add another 1/2 cup of liquid to the rice and let it cook off.  Test it again to see if it is to your liking, if not continue adding liquid half a cup at a time until it is ready.
8. When the rice is soft but sturdy and all of the liquid is cooked off, fold in the veggies and cheese (if using).
9. Top with a soft or medium boiled egg and slices of radish.
10. Enjoy!