Vegetable-Bean Spirals

I finally won something. Not once, but twice in the same day, at the same event! Perhaps my inherent "unlucky-ness" has taken a turn. The fact that these wins may have been a phenomenal guess at a candy-filled estimation jar and Christmas carol worksheet at a recent holiday party is irrelevent. I am soaking it all in. :) I would also consider these little veggie bites a win, considering that I had never made them before, and did so in a hurry in the interval between work and pre-party beautification. They came together rather quickly and without any cooking! Since I was hurried, their uniformity was compromised, but were still tasty, healthy, and pleasing to the eye. I don't know about you, but nothing screams "eat me" like a colorful, fresh, veggie-filled spiral of an island in the middle of the crashing sea of cream cheese-laden dips that frequent holiday buffets. Please don't get me wrong, I do love my cheese, but sometimes, you just need to back away slowly. Did I mention that I was rushed when I made these? Future veggie spirals will have a bean mixture made with hot salsa, some onions, added spices like cumin and paprika, and significantly larger slices of avocado in the center.

Vegetable-Bean Spirals
lifted from vegetarian times

Bean Mixture:
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
3-4 Tbsp. salsa
1/4 c. packed cilantro leaves and tender stems
salt to taste

Vegetable Spirals:
4 9-to-10 inch spinach tortillas
1 1/3 c. packed finely shredded red cabbage
4 thin carrot sticks, about 8 inches long and 1/2 inch wide
4 strips red bell pepper (you'll probably need 8), about 1/4 inch wide
8 slices ripe, firm Hass avocado, sprinkled with juice of 1/2 a lime

1. To make Bean Mixture: In food processor, blend beans, 3 tablespoons salsa and cilantro into thick paste. Add more salsa, if needed for spreadable mixture. Add salt.
2. To make Vegetable Spirals: Using spatula, spread 3 tablespoons bean mixture on a tortilla, leaving about 1/2 inch around edges. Sprinkle on 1/4 of cabbage, and gently press in. Place a carrot stick horizontally about 1 inch from bottom of tortilla, and place 1 strip red bell pepper above it. Arrange 2 slices avocado, end to end, on top of carrot.
3. Wrap bottom edge of tortilla over vegetables, and roll tightly. Moisten top edge lightly with bean paste or water to seal. Gently press roll to shape it into log. Fill and roll remaining tortillas.
4. To serve, set each roll seam side down on cutting board. Use sharp knife to trim off edges. Hold roll firmly, and use gentle sawing motion to cut into 5 or 6 pieces, making every other slice on the diagonal. Divide among 8 salad plates, or arrange on party platter, diagonal sides up.

A special thanks goes to the husband who permitted me to bring this item, rather than individual cheesecakes, to the aforementioned soiree.

Cashew Apple Salad

It's been a while since I've been in a yoga class, and I really miss it. I miss the routine relaxing feeling of going through a sun salutation in a room full of friendly strangers, where all other thoughts and worries seem to float away. I haven't really thought about it this way before, but I kind of have an alternative to this feeling in the kitchen. Cooking in general (and apparently writing about it) has a therapeutic effect on me especially if what I am cooking is something that I know and love, and I don't have to worry about following a recipe. Making salads compounds this feeling. I have always enjoyed chopping fresh, colorful veggies with no real exactness and piling them high into a bowl. There is something very zen about it. I happen to love eating salads too, and crave them almost as much as chocolate chip cookies, and am a total sucker for a good salad bar or deli with a variety of vegetable, pasta, fruit, and potato salads to delight the palate. My daydreams have been preoccupied with this particular combination for several months, ever since some good friends introduced us to it. This salad really is perfect any time of year. The dressing is light and bright and accompanies a summer barbeque quite nicely-which is how we first had it-while the apples and nuts make it somewhat harvesty (my blog-I'll make up words if I want to) and wintery. Now that I think about it, some dried cranberries might make an aesthetically pleasing and flavorful addition.

Cashew Apple Salad
adapted from the Chicago Sun-Times and kristenmclane.com

Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, red romaine, or red leaf lettuce
2 Granny Smith apples, sliced thin
1 c. lightly salted cashew halves
1 c. shredded swiss or mozzarella cheese

Dressing:
1/2 c. canola oil
1/3 c. white wine vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. red onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1. Combine dressing ingredients in a well sealing container and shake vigorously to mix.
2. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, apples, and cashews, and toss with desired amount of dressing. (I use less than half of what this makes)
3. Serve immediately topping each serving with cheese. Alternatively, add the cheese in step 2 with the other ingredients. We add it to each serving becuase of the swiss vs. mozz battle in my house.

Another option for the dressing is to combine the ingredients in a food processor or blender to create an emulsion by drizzling in the oil, yielding a creamier dressing.

Taco Soup

It's getting colder and time for some warm comfort in a bowl, and this might be just the thing to satisfy your hunger while saving you some calories (if you skip the chips and cheese) for the mashed potatoes and pies you'll no doubt be indulging in this week. I first had this soup a couple years ago when a neighbor brought it to a potluck dinner. I immediately fell in love with it...and then modified it ; ).  I made this over the weekend for a potluck of my own and it was a success once again.  It couldn't be any easier-just open a bunch of cans and dump. This is great for a crowd becuase its easy and cheap. The best part is that it is very forgiving and you can swap out whatever you want. Rather have more black beans? Add another can. Don't like black beans? Add a second can of chili beans or omit them altogether. You can use some leftover chicken (or turkey) and cube it, ground beef, ground turkey, Morningstar crumbles, etc. I do make it quite often with out any meat or meat substitute at all and it's equally wonderful. My one recommendation is that you do use No Salt Added ingredients and my salt-free taco seasoning as much as possible. Using the regular stuff makes it quite salty, and it's better to add a little salt while its cooking and control the amount yourself. Make sure that you do taste it because canned beans already have quite a bit of sodium and so does the ranch seasoning.

Taco Soup

olive oil
1 lb. ground chicken breast
1 medium white or yellow onion, finely diced
1 can (14 oz.) hot chili beans
1 can (14 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 oz.) white beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 oz.) No Salt Added, corn undrained
1 can (14 oz. ) No Salt Added, diced tomatos
1 can (14 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilis
8 tsp. homemade taco seasoning or 1 store bought packet
1 packet ranch seasoning
water

1. In a large skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until soft.
2. Remove onion from the pan. Add a little more oil and the chicken to the pan. Season with a few pinches of taco seasoning and cook through.
3. Add onion, cooked chicken and the remaining ingredients to a 6 quart crock pot, along with 2 cans of water. I use the water to rinse out the cans first to get any sauce that sticks to the inside.
4. Stir to mix ingredients, making sure to dissolve seasonings. Cook for 8-10 hours on Low setting or 4-5 hours on High.

Garnish with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, green onion, avocado...anything you can think of.

*Update* - 1/14/2010 - I recently made this recipe as a vegetarian chili to top baked potatoes. Just drain the corn and diced tomatoes, omit the extra water (and chicken), and only use about 2/3 of the can of tomato sauce. I added some chopped red and green peppers too. Thick and delicious!!

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

I have been promising a pumpkin cheesecake to the previously mentioned snarky friend for something awful like 3 years now. I used to make this recipe quite often and usually for Thanksgiving, so unlike my friend, it might be just in time for you. The original is ultra easy because it uses a pre-made graham cracker crust. However, I don't know if you have ever really looked at them, but they contain a ridiculous amount of trans fat, 2 g per "serving". That's more than recommend daily maximum and there's no way I get 8 servings out of that little thing, so you'd be eating even more. Ok, I am finished with my health rant for the day-I know, know this is a cheesecake! Anyhow, this discovery coupled with the recent crust revelation generated a "kicked-up" homemade crust. Because this was meant to be made in a 6 oz. crust, it's a smaller (shallower) cheesecake than some others, but it does give more of a pumpkin pie feel. I also add more pumkin than the recipe calls for so it doesn't set-up as hard, but you'll thank me later.

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake
adapted from Kraft Foods

Crust:
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (preferably homemade)
1/3 c. melted butter
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Filling:
2-8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2/3 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
large pinch each of cloves and nutmeg-about 1/16 tsp. ;)

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.

2. Combine graham crackers crumbs, butter, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, and stir to mix. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform or pie pan.

3. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended.

4. Remove 1 cup of the batter and place in another bowl. Stir in the pumpkin and spices.
5. Pour remaining plain batter into crust. Carefully, top with pumpkin batter.

6. Bake for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

A tip for packing the crust into the pan: use a flat bottom measuring cup! Press firmly all the way around. I learned this trick from Paula Deen. It also makes it easy to push the crumbs up the side of the pan. Enjoy!

Aloo gobi mattar bhaji

(Potato, Cauliflower, and Pea Bhaji)

I recently posted the comment "So many recipes, so little time..." on a random social networking site. To which, a rather snarky friend of mine replied "So many friends to invite over for dinner..." We made a date, and when the husband's away, the garam masala will play. Dan is not a fan of Indian food so I had to take this opportunity seriously. Aloo gobi was the very first Indian dish that I ever tried-at the time, it seemed the most "safe." It was, and I have been in love with the dish and the cuisine ever since, much to the dismay of my better half. It only makes sense that this would be the first dish I try my hand at. The recipe is from a great little book that I recieved for Christmas last year, and is one of my few cookbooks. Who needs a ton of cookbooks when you have the internet? I really do feel this way, but also say it to defend my somewhat lonely collection of books. The book is Global Vegetarian Cooking: Quick & Easy Recipes From Around the World. It's very user friendly, and when they say easy they mean it. The book is full color, it has an introduction all about food and nurtrition, and each recipe has a paragraph preceeding it that tells a little story about the culture and the dish. My only gripe is that many of the recipes have the ingredients listed by weight, this one calls for 1/2 pound each of the cauliflower, potato, and peas. And since I don't have a kitchen scale-sigh-I have to rely on the ones at the grocery store. For the record 1/2 lb. heads of cauliflower don't exist, and exactly how much is a 1/2 pound of frozen peas from a bag anyway? I did the work for you on this one by simplifying the amounts and adjusting the spices accordingly. The red pepper flakes were my addition and next time I'll be adding more!

Aloo Gobi Mattar Bhaji
adapted from Global Vegetarian Cooking

1 small head cauliflower (1 1/2-2 lbs.), cut small
1 medium baking potato, peeled and diced
1 c. frozen peas
2 tbsp. canola oil
3/4 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
3/4 tsp. garam masala
3/4 tsp. cumin seeds
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt (a few pinches)
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

1. First, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry the chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin seeds, and pepper flakes for 30 seconds-1 minute.
2. Then add the vegetables, half the cilantro and salt, and stir-fry to mix the ingredients for 1-2 minutes.
3. Pour in a little water to cover the base of the pan. Put on the lid and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring from time to time and partially mashing the ingredients.
4. When cooked, garnish with the remaining cilantro leaves before serving.

This was beyond easy and so fragrant and delicious, but not overwhelming. I served it with Trader Joe's Garlic Naan-the original naan is fantastic too. You can find them both in the freezer section.

*Update* - 1/16/10 - I made this again this week, and for those of you who are wondering if it's really necessary to buy cumin seeds for this...it's not. I accidentally used 3/4 tsp. ground cumin instead just beacause that's what I am used to grabbing and I couldn't tell the difference.

Chicken Enchiladas and Taco Seasoning

Let's say that you have 8,000 flour tortillas leftover from a recent party and some chicken in the freezer. Solution = Enchiladas. When I was growing up, tacos and nachos were on the permanent dinner menu rotation, but we seemed to ignore other, arguably more delightful, mexican dishes. The first time that I had homemade enchiladas was at a good friends house. She's a very good cook, an even better baker, and just so happens to have some Mexican blood. Quite a while ago I had the privledge of helping her whip up a batch. She makes hers with homemade tortillas, which are beyond excellent all by themselves, mole sauce, muenster cheese, and cream cheese in the filling. Very rich, but very worth it. Mine are not as heavy and I use canned enchilada sauce. I have tried a few different kinds and they are all pretty good, even the national brands. Check the nutritional information though, some are just packed with sodium. You can even find a couple that have a decent amount of fiber. We like it with medium heat so I mix some of a hot variety into a can of the mild. But, if anyone has a good recipe for a tasty homemade sauce, I am all ears. Until then, I make up for it with my own taco seasoning. It's more flavorful, salt free, and without the nasty MSG. I use it in my chili, tacos, and refried beans. If you search the web you can find several recipes for taco seasoning, but this one comes with my seal of approval: Amy tested, Dan approved. And, it's cheaper than buying the little packets for $1 a piece. 

Chicken Enchiladas

olive oil
2 bonless, skinless chicken breasts
Taco seasoning - *recipe below
1 large (19 oz.) or 2 small (10 oz.) cans of your favorite enchilada sauce
2 oz. freshly grated, reduced fat cheddar cheese
8 oz. freshly grated, monterey jack cheese
3/4 c. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp. diced green chilis - about 1/2 of a 4 oz. can
black pepper
8-10 small flour tortillas

1. Preheat oven to 350 . Heat olive oil, once around the pan, in a small skillet on medium heat. Liberally season chicken with taco seasoning, add to pan, and saute until golden brown and cooked through.
2. Remove chicken from pan and alow to rest for 10 minutes. Shread chicken by pulling apart with 2 forks.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the shreadded chicken, cheddar cheese, black beans, green chilis. Add pepper, another sprinkle of taco seasoning, and about 1/3 c. each of the monterey jack and enchilada sauce.  Mix well.
4. Spray a 13 x 9 inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray. Fill tortillas with chicken mixture, roll, and place in dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas, and top with remaining jack cheese.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until the sauce bubbles around the edges and the cheese begins to brown.

Taco Seasoning

6 tsp. chili powder
5 tsp. paprika
4 1/2 tsp. cumin
2 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Combine in a well sealing container and shake to mix. 7-8 teaspoons of this mix is about the same as one of the packets.

Moroccan Style Vegetable Couscous

About a month ago, I had a fabulous vegetarian couscous dinner at a friend's house, and I realized that I have never made couscous. I have been thinking about it ever since, and decided to stew some vegetables for myself. This was basically an attempt to come up with some more relatively easy vegetarian recipes that both my husband and I can agree upon. Inspired by the smell of fresh fall leaves on the crisp autumn air, I really wanted to add some butternut squash to the mix; however, mentioning this idea only produced a semi-frown upon the face of the aforementioed husband. This, plus the dilemma of what to do with a large unused portion caused me to leave the grocery store sans squash. Oh, but I'll be back for you sometime soon, Mr. Butternut, don't get too comfortable.

For now, this is a hearty, aromatic, vegetarian dish that does a decent job of showcasing the mighty chickpea, garbanzo, ceci bean, Indian pea, or whatever you want to call it. They look like mini peaches to me. ; ) Anyway, it was very tasty, but not a fast favorite. I probably won't use plain couscous next time-oh yes, it was good enough for a "next time"- and some fresh lemon juice might shake up the flavors a bit. It must also be said that like any good stew or chili, it was even better as leftovers. Plus, with "Moroccan" in the name it forces be back into an old, but newly revisited hobby: Vacation Dreaming. Right now, my thoughts flock to Ireland, Costa Rica, France, Italy, the Caribbean, the Grand Canyon, and Disney World, where in Epcot there is Moraccan restaurant!

Moroccan Stlye Vegetable Couscous
compiled from many sources

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 small red potatoes, unpeeled, and cut into large chunks
3 small carrots, chopped
1 small yellow onion, large dice
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1 zucchini, about 7-8 inches long
1/2 sweet bell pepper, large dice (I wanted yellow for color, but settled for orange)
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 oz.) No Salt Added, diced tomatoes with juice
1 c. low-sodium vegetable stock
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicy!)
1/4 tsp. salt
Plain Couscous

1. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic, and saute for 5 minutes or until onions start to soften.
2. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, vegetable stock, and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. The potatoes should be almost fork tender.
3. Add zucchini and bell pepper. Continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes until all of the vegetables are fork tender. Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions. (I prepared 1 c. dry couscous for the two of us.)
4. Serve vegetables over couscous. Salt and pepper to taste.