Rice Vinegar Salad Dressing

This salad tastes better than it looks - and it looks good! This dressing was great - flavorful without overwhelming.

I made this salad with romaine lettuce, goat cheese, scallions, and toasted cashews.



Rice Vinegar Salad Dressing
Adapted from Clean Eating Magazine July/August 2010

3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp + 1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp whole grain mustard
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently.

Remove from heat, set aside to cool slightly. Serve warm. Store in a sealed container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Bulgur-Lentil Pilaf

I have been experimenting with various whole grains, including bulger. This was actually very yummy! It helps that I love lentils. This recipe can easily be adapted to whatever you like or have on hand. Serve it as a side dish or a meal.

Bulgur-Lentil Pilaf
Adapted from So Easy by Ellie Krieger

1/2 cup green lentils
1 cup bulgur
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Olive oil
1 small red onion or scallions, finely diced (1 cup)
1 yellow pepper, seeded and finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
½ - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Variation: You can also make this with ¼ cup sliced almonds instead of the yellow pepper and with parsley and basil instead of mint and cilantro.

Place lentils and 2 cups broth in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender and most liquid is dissolved, about 30 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid. While lentils are cooking, place bulgur and remaining 2 cups chicken broth in another small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until most liquid is dissolved and bulgur is tender, about 13 to15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Add the bulgur to the lentils.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and cook until peppers are tender, another 5 minutes. Add the onion mixture to bulgur-lentil mixture. Stir in herbs, almonds (if using), lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss to incorporate.

4 servings

Cashew Chicken with Vegetables

Chicken gets old REAL fast. I am always unmotivated when it comes to cooking chicken. Then I made this. Winner winner chicken dinner! Quinoa is a revelation - so delicious and easy! Make sure to cut the broccoli up into small florets or they will not cook enough. You can also substitute the broccoli for asparagus tips.

Cashew Chicken with Vegetables
From Clean Eating Magazine, July/August 2010

1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4), cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil cooking spray
2 carrots, shredded (2 cups)
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
2 small onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup unsalted raw cashews, toasted and chopped
3 cups cooked quinoa

Combine chicken, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a large shallow dish; cover and let marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.

Mist a large wok or skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add chicken and marinade and sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

Add carrots, broccoli, and onion to same skillet and sauté for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Move chicken back to pan, then add broth. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cashews and cook for 2 more minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Serve over quinoa.

Tuna Salad with Cannelini Beans

Many people I know love canned tuna. Even though I am not one of those people, I can appreciate a good tuna recipe. Laura and Christian LOVE tuna but they always just add mayo and bread - and thats it. This is much better!

Tuna Salad with Cannelini Beans
Adapted from "Everyday Italian" with Giada De Laurentiis

3 (6-ounce) cans tuna, packed in water, drained
2 (15-ounce) cans cannelini white beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup small capers, nonpareil in brine, drained and rinsed
4-5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
9-10 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a large bowl, add the tuna. Break tuna into bite-size pieces with a large fork. Add the beans and capers.

Into a small bowl, add oil and the red wine vinegar. You should have 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil - add more extra-virgin olive oil if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Pour dressing on the tuna, bean and caper mixture and allow the flavors to infuse while slicing the vegetables.

Add the onion, tomatoes and parsley to tuna mixture and toss gently.

Coconut Citrus Curry

This is my new favorite sauce. It is very verstile – goes with everything. I have made the authentic curry before but this one has easy to find ingredients and is easy to make. You can also make the sauce ahead of time and reheat when ready to use it. My favorite way to serve it is with udon noodles and sauteed shrimp. You can serve it with rice, fish, tofu, chicken, veggies. Make it how you like it!

Coconut Citrus Curry Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
1 - 2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 - 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1-inch knob ginger, thinly sliced
½ - 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste (depends on how spicy you want it)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
½ tablespoon lime zest (about 1 lime)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (if you like it especially citrusy)
1/2 cup coconut milk (I used light)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
White pepper

Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, and curry and sweat until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chicken stock, zests, and lime juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the coconut milk and cilantro, and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Process broth in food processor then strain and serve how you like it.

Christian's Salsa

Christian loves salsa. He will put salsa on anything and this is his favorite. This works equally well as a small salad, just toss with salad greens. You can play around with the recipe adding more of what you love. You can also do without the cilantro if you don't care for it.

Christian’s Salsa

2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and well-rinsed
4 bell peppers, a mix of colors, diced
4 – 5 tomatoes, diced
1/2 super-large or 1 medium red onion, chopped into a small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of one lime or ½ lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Mix all in a large bowl and serve.

Honey and Goat Cheese-Filled Date Muffins

Sweet dates and tangy goat cheese give a surprising twist to these hearty breakfast muffins. I made a batch of these on Sunday so we could enjoy them for breakfast all week long. The recipe originally called for figs, so use what you have or can find at the store. If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, try them with cream cheese instead.

I thought these muffins were pretty good but Christian said they were the best muffins ever.



Honey & Goat Cheese-Filled Date Muffins
Adapted from EatingWell, January/February 2010

3/4 cup crumbled soft goat cheese or reduced-fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
3/4 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
1 cup low-fat or nonfat buttermilk
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cups chopped dates or dried figs
3 tablespoons turbinado or granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups with paper liners or coat with cooking spray.

Thoroughly combine goat cheese (or cream cheese), honey, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl. Set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Lightly beat eggs and egg white in a medium bowl; add brown sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and whisk until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in buttermilk and oil until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in figs.

Spoon half the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Add 1 generous teaspoon of the reserved cheese filling to the center of each muffin, and cover with the remaining batter. (The filling should not be visible.) Sprinkle the muffins with sugar.

Bake the muffins until the edges start to brown and the tops spring back when gently pressed, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Nutrition Information (per muffin): 272 Calories; 9 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 6 g Mono; 39 mg Cholesterol; 6 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 239 mg Sodium; 184 mg Potassium

Make Ahead Tip: Individually wrap the muffins and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, remove plastic wrap, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30-45 seconds.

Ingredient notes: White whole-wheat flour, made from a special variety of white wheat, is light in color and flavor but has the same nutritional properties as regular whole-wheat flour. It is available in large supermarkets and at natural-foods stores. (Or find it online from bobsredmill.com or kingarthurflour.com.) Store it in the freezer.

Blueberry Coffeecake with Lemon Streusel

Most weeknights require grab-and-go breakfasts. I made this last Sunday so I would have breakfast all week.

This was a very easy recipe from King Arthur Flour. It is always best to use their brand of flour in their recipes for the best result. I tweaked the recipe just a bit by using whole wheat flour, adding a bit more moisture and a bit more lemon flavor. If you do not have candied lemon peel, you can use regular lemon zest or make your own (recipe at the bottom.)

I took half, cut it into squares and then wrapped each square in plastic wrap. I put the squares in a freezer bag for individual servings whenever.



Blueberry Coffeecake with Lemon Streusel
Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Lemon Studded Streusel:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup King Arthur whole wheat or unbleached all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
1/2 cup candied lemon peel or 1 tablespoon lemon zest
6 tablespoons butter, softened
3-4 drops lemon oil or 1/8 teaspoon lemon extract

Cake:
8 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cups King Arthur whole wheat flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, well drained
* If you use whole wheat flour, you need to add moisture to the cake. Add an additional 2 – 4 tablespoons of sour cream.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" baking pan or two 8" x 2" round pans.

For the lemon streusel: In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt. Gently toss the candied peel until it is well coated. If you prefer smaller pieces of peel, you can pulse the mixture 10-12 times with a food processor at this point. For a bigger lemon "bite" leave as is.

Work the softened butter into the flour/peel mixture until it resembles granola, some larger chunks, some smaller. Sprinkle on the lemon oil and toss again to combine. Set mixture aside.

For the cake: Cream the butter and sugar until light colored and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition. Be sure to scrape down the bowl well each time. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the batter, mixing until combined. Avoid overbeating or the cake will become tough.

Gently fold in the blueberries until well distributed throughout the batter. Pour into the prepared pan(s) and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the lemon streusel until the batter is completely covered.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Candied Lemon Peel

3 lemons
2 cups water
2 cups white sugar, or as needed

Cut the lemons into slices and remove the fruit pulp. Scrape as much of the pith (white inner layer) as you can, this part is bitter. A spoon or butter knife will work well.

Bring water to a boil in a small pan and add the lemon peels. Boil for about 5 minutes, until tender.

Remove the peels from water and stir in the sugar. Return to a boil and then add peels. Boil until all the sugar has dissoved and the liquid is transparent. Drain and allow to dry before storing.

Liquid may be reserved and used as lemon simple syrup.

Garden Lettuces with Scallion-Buttermilk Dressing

Sometimes I need to make dinner for 1. This is usually the case when I have leftovers in the fridge. I don't do leftovers. On this particular day, I had leftover chicken and plenty of herbs I needed to use up. I decided to make a chicken salad with a homemade dressing.

This is a great dressing from one of my new favorite cookbooks. I tweaked it a bit. The champagne vinegar makes it very tangy, but if you prefer, you can use red wine vinegar or any other vinegar you have on hand. I used a mix of dried and fresh herbs, I used what I had. The chicken makes this salad a meal, but without it, would make a great side dish or appetizer.

It keeps for about a week in the fridge.



Garden Lettuces with Scallion-Buttermilk Dressing
Adapted from Real Cajun by Donald Link

This is a great dressing from one of my new favorite cookbooks. I tweeked it a bit. The champagne vinegar makes it very tangy, but if you prefer, you can use red wine vinegar or any other vinegar you have on hand. I used a mix of dried and fresh herbs, I used what I had. The chicken makes this salad a meal, but without it, would make a great side dish or appetizer.

½ cup scallions (both green and white parts)
½ cup well-shaken buttermilk
¼ cup sour cream
4 tablespoons mayonaise
4 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon of thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon of basil or ½ teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon of oregano or ½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Young lettuces
Cooked chicken, cut into pieces
Fresh radishes, trimmed and quartered
Cherry tomatoes, halved

Puree the scallions in a food processor, then add the remaining dressing ingredients and pulse until smooth. Alternatively, for a rougher-textured dressing, simply whisk the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

Toss the dressing with the lettuces, chicken, radishes and cherry tomoatoes.

Makes about 1 ¼ cups dressing, enough to serve 4 to 6

Pea Salad with Mint and Goat Cheese

I do most of my experimentation on Sundays. I try to make a nice Sunday meal. Most of the time I have a tough time deciding on interesting side dishes.

This pea salad is so delicious. I adapted the recipe from a great cookbook called Earth to Table. Peas and mint are a refreshing combination. This is a perfect spring meal with a nice fish or lamb. I made it with roast chicken and used a creamy goat cheese. You can substitute feta cheese or any other crumbly cheese you like. Also, I used apple cider vinegar but you can use red wine vinegar or champagne vinegar or whatever you have on hand. The recipe makes a lot of vinaigrette, so taste as you add so it does not overpower the peas.



Pea Salad with Mint and Goat Cheese

2 cups shucked fresh sweet peas
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon local honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 radishes, finely sliced
1 red onion, finely sliced
½ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
¼ cup crumbled goat cheese

In a medium pot of boiling salted water, blanch peas until just tender and bright green, about 2 minutes. Refresh under cold water.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey, and mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add peas, radishes and onion; toss to coat. Add mint and gently toss. Sprinkle with feta and serve.

Makes 6 servings

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog. Here I will document my successes and failures as I attempt cooking and baking. I am beginning this blog as a recovering cereal addict in need of a balanced diet. I am no longer a graduate student and I must stop eating like one.

I search for guinea pigs wherever I can. That duty usually falls on my boyfriend Christian but sometimes my students are the judge.

Aside from cereal, my other vice is sugar. Pies, cakes, cookies, ice cream. That I can do. Cooking, not so much.

I have dabbled in cooking for quite some time but now I must learn to prepare meals on a regular basis. This is a challenge. This is my blog.