Lemony Quinoa and Cabbage with Chickpeas and Olives

WHY IS QUINOA SO EXPENSIVE? I have mentioned before that it is not my favorite grain. But I do like its nutritional profile and because of its popularity, I see very enticing recipes for it everywhere I look. Like this one, which is adapted from Martha Stewart. I was intrigued by the combination of ingredients--quinoa, cabbage (one of our favorite vegetables,) chickpeas, olives, lemon, and dill, all well loved, yet I couldn't quite imagine how they would taste combined. I am happy to report that we loved this dish and I will be making it again. Perhaps next time, I will experiment with a different grain?

Back to the price of quinoa. . .

Quinoa grows best at cool high altitudes at 2500 to 4000 meters, unlike rice or wheat which grow efficiently on large acreages of flat farm land. The top producers of quinoa are farmers in the Andean highlands of Bolivia and Peru. You know what that means: steep mountainous terrain, not easily mechanized, and difficult transport.

From now on, if I choose to purchase quinoa, I will happily pay the price.

Lemony Quinoa and Cabbage with Chickpeas and Olives
1 cup quinoa, well rinsed
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 head cabbage, sliced
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup large green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh dill
Yogurt or sour cream for serving

Bring water to a boil. Stir in quinoa and 1/2 tsp. salt; return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Uncover, raise heat, and cook until water evaporates and quinoa is dry and tender, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.

Heat oil, over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and cook, stirring often until tender and golden brown in places, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in quinoa, chickpeas, olives, lemon juice and zest, Toss to combine, season with salt and pepper. Stir in dill and serve topped with yogurt or sour cream.

Pink Grapefruit and Avocado Smoothie

I AM STILL ENJOYING A SMOOTHIE (almost) every day. I say almost because things do come up. Last weekend, we had an out-of-town family get together. Four of us girls shared a hotel suite and had a blast! I was outnumbered on the temperature control; I like to be very warm but the other three said, "no way".

I knew this beforehand so I packed extra warm PJ's for hanging around the room. And I refrained from packing my blender though I did think about it. The hotel had breakfast so we ate there. I'm not used to eating breakfast at all, but I did enjoy slipping on my sweat yoga pants and riding the elevator down to a choice of bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, biscuits and gravy, waffles, pastries, grits, oatmeal, fresh fruit, yogurt, and ice cold orange juice.

Somehow, I became the designated waffle maker.  I thought about Mama telling me of a trip she was on with Daddy. While she was checking out the hotel's breakfast line-up, a man walked up beside her, one she thought was her husband, and she asked, "Do you want me to make you a waffle?" The man replied, "Well, sure." Mama was very embarrassed when she realized the man was a stranger, fortunately a good humored one.

Avocados have become one of my favorite smoothie ingredients. Not only are they full of good nutrition, they blend up so smooth and creamy, taste delicious, and keep me satisfied for hours.  Almost every smoothie I make has a banana because they add just the right amount of sweetness. A juicy pink grapefruit makes this one just perfect.

Pink Grapefruit and Avocado Smoothie
1 ripe avocado
1 pink grapefruit
1  ripe banana
1/2 cup yogurt
Milk, coconut water, or juice as needed or desired for consistency
1 serving protein powder (optional)

Peel and roughly chop avocado and put into blender. Add one peeled banana. Peel grapefruit including the white pith. Holding the peeled grapefruit over the blender to catch juices, cut sections away from the membrane using a sharp paring knife and let them drop into the blender. Squeeze the grapefruit to catch all the juice. Add the yogurt and protein powder if using. Add liquid of choice and blend to desired consistency.

Indian Lentil Soup

I USED TO STIR THIS SOUP with a wooden paddle in a giant soup pot when I worked as a cook in a Natural Foods Cafe. I measured lentils, onions, and tomatoes not by cups but quarts. I measured cups rather than spoonfuls of hot peppers, fresh ginger, garlic, and spices. I chopped and grated everything by hand. And I had about 2 1/2 hours from start to people arriving for lunch,  in addition to the other things I was cooking.

Whew! I sure don't have the nerve for that now.

I just made this soup again all these years later. It really is quite manageable at home and comes together surprisingly quickly. Get your lentils going, then do all your chopping and measuring of everything else. Once you have all the ingredients prepped, it is quite fun to cook. The aroma is divine. The spices are so warming. It is really sublime in taste.

I remember why people used to line up out the door on the days I cooked this.

Serve with bread and a dollop of yogurt.

Cabbagetown Cafe Cookbook by Julie Jordan, 1986

Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream Cheese Glaze, Raspberry Smoothies & Raspberry-Smoothie Pops

 The family princess turned 4 years old. I asked her to help me make a cake and did she want a big cake or cupcakes. The answer was a resounding, "CUPCAKES"! I knew she wanted chocolate (is there any other flavor) but I asked if she wanted chocolate frosting or pink. The answer was pink.

She was very helpful in making the little cakes and also made it so much fun. I measured, she sifted and poured. She cracked the eggs and turned the mixer off and on. She placed the muffin papers in the pans and helped pour the batter.

Later, she decorated them all by herself! Aren't they pretty?

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
pinch of salt
3 Tbsp. softened butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Beat well.

Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake for 15 - 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

I decided on using the same cream cheese frosting I had recently used for another cake because Princess liked it very much.  However, this time I used raspberry puree in the place of milk in the recipe to flavor it and also to tint it pink. (I don't use commercial food colorings).

To remove the seeds from the raspberries, place them in the blender with a very small amount of water. Process into a puree and then press through a fine mesh strainer.

With the extra raspberry puree, we made delicious Raspberry Smoothies.

 

 

And with some intentionally leftover smoothie, we made Smoothie-Pops!

 



 

 

 

Cherry Mango Smoothie

Cherries and mango are a dynamic duo in this delicious smoothie.

Cherry Mango Smoothie
1 cup fresh cherries, washed and pitted
1 mango, sliced
1 banana
1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup apricot nectar

Process in blender and enjoy.

Ginger Peach Smoothie

I am still drinking a smoothie every day. If you have not started on your smoothie regimen, now is the perfect time to begin, with all the luscious, juicy, colorful, healthful, ripe summer fruits flooding the markets at amazing prices. Also, if you get carried away, like I often do, and buy too much fruit at once, smoothies are a fantastic way to use overly ripe fruit.

Your smoothie can be a light and refreshing summer meal as long as you add a source of protein, such as yogurt, cottage cheese, any kind of milk, and/or protein powder.

I have used a generous amount of  fresh ginger in this smoothie because I love ginger, especially with peaches. I love its health-giving qualities, its taste, and I love the heat, especially combined with cooling ingredients. After drinking this smoothie, my tummy felt warm and my lips felt tingly. Yet, it didn't make me feel hot or sweaty like some hot spices can. It was a lovely feeling.

Ginger Peach Smoothie
1 peach, washed and cut into chunks
1 banana
1 heaping teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup apricot nectar
1 serving protein powder (optional)
A few ice cubes (if desired)

Add all ingredients to an ordinary blender and whirl away, stirring once or twice if necessary.

Strawberry Smoothie

 

 

I had a lovely Mother's Day yesterday. Did you? I had brunch at The Cantina, a restaurant in Biltmore Village in Asheville, North Carolina, with Alice, Nina Linda, and Pritchard Parker, of course. Alice gave me cards and flowers.  Afterwards, "the girls" came over to visit for the afternoon while Pritchard Parker went to visit his Mother. Later, I called and talked to my Mother, who lives in Alabama.  Here is a post I wrote about her last year in case you missed it.

 

I started the day with a strawberry smoothie. Shown is my Grandmother's table cloth, so naturally I thought of her too.

 

Strawberry Smoothie

1 cup fresh strawberries, rinsed and halved

1/2 cup yogurt

1/2 cup milk (soy, almond, cow, or other)

1 serving protein powder, optional

 

Place all ingredients in blender. You can freeze the strawberries if you want your smoothie thick and icy, or you can add a little ice. I don't. Process until smooth and creamy.



 

Blueberry Strawberry Smoothie

I loved the pretty orchid color of this smoothie. Nothing really innovative here, but the taste is terrific.

Blueberry Strawberry Smoothie
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup strawberries
1 banana
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup yogurt
1 serving protein powder, optional

Blend all in electric blender until smooth and creamy.

Sweet Potato Smoothie

I have been drinking a smoothie everyday. The more of them I make, the more ideas I get about what will work and taste great while providing much needed healing power for my body.

One thing I add to almost every smoothie is protein powder, which has become very popular and is sold in almost every store. The popularity and variety of protein powders is due largely to body builders. My nutritional needs are obviously different than those of a 27 year old male body builder so I did my homework.

You may not want or need a protein powder supplement. I know, from blood tests, that my protein is low and that is why I am using it. But there are other reasons to add protein to your diet. Protein provides energy, promotes muscle function, optimizes healthy skin, boosts the immune system providing defense against infections, and helps regulate metabolism. 

There are also other things to add to smoothies which provide protein--peanut butter and other nut butters, cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, tofu to name a few.

I also want to mention the differing quality and pricing of protein powders. Some contain fillers and ingredients I don't want to consume. Some are very expensive. Some taste bad. It has been my experience that you don't have to commit to one of those big jars without trying it first. Every powder I have wanted to use, provided a free or low cost sample to try out first. 

Oh yeah, and I don't have any fancy smoothie-making equipment with a catchy name. I use my 30 year old blender and it works just fine.

Sweet Potato Smoothie
1 small baked sweet potato
1 peach (frozen is fine)
1 tsp. (to taste) freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup carrot juice
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 serving protein powder, optional

Buzz in blender, adding more carrot juice, milk (cow, soy, almond, coconut) to desired consistency. Tastes like sweet potato pie. 

Chilled Persian Yogurt Soup

I was intrigued by this recipe when I saw it in Food & Wine Magazine last summer. At last I made it and I am so glad I did. I just loved this very unusual summer soup, which is filled with herbs, nuts, and raisins.

Here in the dog days of summer, I need meals which are cooling and refreshing. Served with grilled bread, this soup made a perfectly satisfying weeknight supper. Make the soup ahead of time as it needs to be served well-chilled.

Chilled Persian Yogurt Soup
(Chef Hoss Zare)
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup dried rose petals, crushed*
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups ice water
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and finely diced (1 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ground sumac*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast for about 10 minutes. Let cool, then finely chop.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, cover the rose petals with cold water and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain the petals and squeeze dry.

In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt with the ice water. Stir in the raisins, cucumber, mint, dill, chives, walnuts and rose petals and season with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate until very cold, at least 1 hour.

Serve the soup in shallow bowls, sprinkled with sumac.

*I ordered both the rose petals and the sumac from Savory Spice Shop.

Curry-Palooza #8: Masaledar Chholay (Chickpeas in Spicy Tomato Gravy)

Camille chose the recipe for this month's Curry-Palooza. I was very happy when she picked this healthy make-ahead vegetarian dish which was featured in the March, 2011 issue of Food and Wine Magazine.  I already had the magazine page flagged and was so inspired by the article, that I immediately ordered Chef Sanjeev Kapoor's newest cookbook.  The recipe I chose for last month's Curry Palooza is from that very book. 

This recipe is easy to make and it is SPICY!!  I cooked it a day before we ate it and that turned out to be a good idea.  The spiciness had mellowed and mingled and the taste was richer the following evening.

Chef Kapoor meant it when he said:

"Indian Food is not subtle. Indian food is in your face."

Chick Peas in Spicy Tomato Gravy

8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 jalapeños, chopped
One 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice
 2 tablespoons ground cumin
 1 tablespoon ground coriander
 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
 1 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes
 Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
 2 cups water
 Salt
 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves

 In a mini food processor, combine the garlic, jalapeños and ginger and process to a paste. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions and cook over moderately high heat until sizzling, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer over moderate heat until thickened, about 6 minutes. Add the chickpeas and water and simmer until the chickpeas are flavored with the gravy, about 8 minutes. Season the chickpeas with salt, garnish with the cilantro and serve.


Serve With Yogurt and naan.

Aubergine with Crushed Mustard Seeds and Yoghurt

Curry-Palooza #5

Margie chose the recipe for this month's Curry-Palooza project and you can see the recipe here.  The recipe is another from Madjur Jaffrey, found at  My Kitchen Table.

This was actually the second time I made the recipe. First time, I had a couple of problems. One involved removing the cover, turning up the heat, and cooking off most of the liquid. By the time that happened, the eggplant was practically mush. The next problem involved the yogurt step. When I opened the top of the Greek yogurt, I was hit by the fragrance of strawberries!  Buying strawberry yogurt rather than plain was not the only grocery shopping mistake I made that weekend.  (New job on my mind). I wound up adding some half and half for the creamy aspect. 

I think I did better the second time, although it is still not a pretty dish.  I left it saucier because I was serving it over Basmati rice, plus I didn't want the eggplant to break down so much like it did the first time. 

This recipe is very different from any curry I have ever eaten.  My understanding is that it is an East Indian recipe using a common Bengali spice mixture, panchphoran, which consists of equal parts fennel seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and nigella seeds.  I ordered the spice mixture because the only ingredient I could buy locally was the mustard seed. 

We loved the complex yet mild flavor of this dish.  I especially enjoyed the pleasant crunch on my teeth from the seeds.

Curry-Palooza is a monthly event which explores Indian curries. We are having a lot of fun with this event and take turns choosing recipes. which can be from any source--magazine, cookbook, blog, or other. We would love to have you cook along with us. Canille will be choosing the next recipe and you could be the next--just let us know and you're in!

Curry-Palooza Club
Me, Sage Trifle
Grapefruit, Needful Things
Margie, More Please
Camille, Croque-Camille

Cardamom and Black Pepper Chicken

Curry-Palooza #4

It's Curry-Palooza time again!  Grapefruit chose the recipe this month and broke our vegetarian trend by choosing a chicken recipe--Cardamom and Black Pepper Chicken. I was excited about the recipe because I love cardamom.  Margie will choose the next recipe and I look forward to seeing what she decides on. 

This is another Madhur Jaffrey recipe, and I followed it as precisely as I could. It turned out great! Alice and Baby had dinner with us and they loved it too. 

The recipe directions call for marinating the chicken for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours. I went closer to the 3 hour mark, while I prepped all the ingredients, and made other dishes to serve with the chicken.  It was a pleasant and aromatic afternoon in the kitchen.

 I've said  before, I am always fascinated by the way different cooks can start with the same recipe and the results turn out so differently.  One of many things to love about cooking. 

Here is Margie's Cardamom and Black Pepper Chicken. She served hers with a side of fresh snap peas from the farmers' market, as well as homemade naan. 

Camille, of Croque-Camille, joined us this month and here is her version of Cardamom and Black Pepper Chicken.

We are having fun with this event and would love to have you join us in Curry-Palooza, which is still a new project. As each person joins, they get to choose the recipe, in the order they join.  Just let me know, or let Grapefruit know. 

And check out Grapefruit's blog, Needful Things, for the recipe.

Cucumber and Mint Raita

Raita is a yogurt salad made with thick, whole-milk yogurt and various chopped vegetables. Typically used as a condiment, raitas are seasoned with various spices and herbs, and are designed as a cooling element to counterbalance many spicy Indian foods. 

I always have raita when dining in Indian restaurants and I always make it at home when I cook Indian food. I have eaten it and made it several ways. One raita I enjoyed very much was made with cucumber, scallions, tomatoes, and fresh dill. But the one I always go back to, is one made cucumber and mint. 

I also enjoy eating a dish of raita for breakfast, making a nice break from all the fruit-flavored choices available in supermarkets. 

Cucumber and Mint Raita
3 cups plain, whole milk yogurt
1 large cucumber
Fresh mint leaves
1/2 tsp. toasted, ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pour yogurt into a mixing bowl. Peel, seed, and dice the cucumber and add to the bowl. Chop fresh mint leaves to equal about 1 Tbsp. and add to the bowl.  Mix all together and season with the cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper.  Cover and chill.

Fresh Fruit, Granola and Yogurt Parfaits

I have already said that Baby loves the movie, Shrek. Baby loves Shrek. I really can't emphasize enough, how baby loves Shrek. Some days we watch Shrek in a continuous loop all day long. 

But don't get the idea that Baby is a couch-potato. She actually stays quite busy while Shrek is playing--running her popcorn popper, scattering every toy from her toy box, taking out every one of her books to read, going through my stack of recycling and scattering it about, drinking from the dog bowl, climbing on things and scaring me, bathing her stuffed animals in the toilet. You get the idea.

When she hears one of her favorite parts of the movie, she runs to the tv to watch it. Some scenes make her laugh. Some make her dance.  Or she may want to sit in my lap and rock.

My own favorite scene is the one where Donkey is following (and irritating) Shrek, who is on a quest to rescue a princess from a tower guarded by a fire breathing dragon. Shrek is an ogre and is trying to explain to Donkey that Ogres are like onions--they have layers.

Donkey says, You know, not everybody likes onions. Cake!  Everybody loves cakes. Cakes have layers. Shrek shouts,  I don't care what everybody likes. Ogres are not like cakes.

Donkey persists by saying, You know what else everybody likes? Parfaits. Have you ever met a person, you say, "Let's get some parfait," they say, "No, I don't like no parfait"? Parfaits are delicious. Parfaits may be the most delicious thing on the whole damn planet. Do you have a tissue or something? I'm making a mess. Just the word parfait makes me start slobbering.

Fresh Fruit, Granola and Yogurt Parfaits
2 cups fresh fruit
2 cups granola
2 cups vanilla yogurt

Line up 3 or 4 glasses. Put 2 tablespoons of yogurt in each one. Top with 2 tablespoons of granola, then top that with a couple tablespoons of yogurt. Continue layering in the same order until all the ingredients are used.

These parfaits can be a healthful and satisfying breakfast or an elegant dessert.

Shared with Sweets for a Saturday #13 at the blog, Sweet as Sugar Cookies