October Unprocessed: Making Good Fast Food

There's fast food and there's good fast food and you don't have to spend hours in the kitchen to put out a delicious, healthful meal. I've committed to the October Unprocessed food challenge because it's a cause I believe in, and one that I try to live by on a daily basis, but I'm not perfect, so this commitment acts as a gentle reminder of how important real food is to our health and well-being.

Today's supermarkets are stocked with a vast selection of organic veggies, grass-fed meats and wild fish, but there's one finite resource for many of us and it's time. Trying to balance work, family and other responsibilities often leaves us reaching for something quick and easy for dinner, and it's not always the healthiest choice. So when I'm feeling the time crunch I cook up a batch of quinoa, take a look at what vegetables I have on hand, or pick a few up at the store, and prepare one of my one bowl wonders. From start to finish it takes about 30 minutes, and even less time if you're using leftover roasted vegetables as I did with this version below.

Start by cooking a batch of quinoa. It's an easy ratio of 2:1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add a cup of quinoa and a pinch of salt. Cover and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed. It takes about 15-20 minutes. When it's finished remove from the heat and set it aside, covered, while you cook your veggies. For the first one pictured I sautéed peppers, carrots and peas in about a tablespoon of olive oil until tender, then added some chopped collard greens and cooked it for another 3-4 minutes. Serve the veggies over the quinoa, add the roasted nuts and sprinkle with a little tamari sauce and rice vinegar.  

Roasted Nuts with Rosemary

Almonds or Cashew

Olive Oil
Pinch of sea salt

Finely chopped rosemary (1 tsp for each 9oz or 225g of nuts)

Lightly coat the nuts of your choice with olive oil. Add the rosemary and salt and mix well. Roast in a 375 degree oven until the nuts begin to brown. Sprinkle a handful over your veggies. They add flavor and a nice crunch to the dish. They're also great as a little nibble at a dinner party.

If you happen to have leftover roasted veggies, or feel like roasting some, use those instead of the sautéed version. This is a good way to use up what's hanging around in your vegetable bin. The other day I roasted broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. I also peeled and sliced the broccoli stems and roasted them, too. They're delicious and so good for you. Get creative, substitute your favorite vegetables and switch up your greens. Bake a sweet potato, mash it and add it to the quinoa.  The possibilities are endless.

Vegetarian Delight with Juicy Tomatoes

I hate to waste food. It's expensive and when you eat organic whole foods even more so. With that in mind, I took a quick inventory of my fridge and here's what I had to work with: a bunch of kale, one baked sweet potato, green beans from the garden, a summer squash, green peppers, tomatoes, scallions and a few leaves of rhubarb. I'm definitely seeing a meal here.

Sweet Potato Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables and Sautéed Greens

So let's start cooking. Chop the peppers, summer squash and green beans (be sure to remove the stem and the pointy end of the bean as this will make your French friends very happy). Lightly coat the veggies with olive oil or a good vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt, lemon pepper and sumac. Toss well. Roast in a cast iron skillet in a 375 degree oven, or on your gas grill over medium heat until golden brown.

Add one cup of quinoa and a pinch of salt to two cups of boiling water. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Mash the cooked sweet potato and set aside. Slice the scallions and sauté them in about a tablespoon of olive oil until tender. Add a teaspoon each of tamari and honey. Mix the mashed sweet potato with the scallions and then combine with the cooked quinoa.

For the greens, sauté two cloves of sliced garlic in olive oil. Before they start to brown add the chopped kale and rhubarb leaves. I removed the stems of the rhubarb, sliced them and added them to the roasted veggies, but you can sauté them with the greens if you prefer. Cook them slowly over medium heat. This allows the greens to absorb the garlic flavor.

Now for the pièce de résistance... juicy tomatoes. My mother serves these over steamed veggies, with broccoli being her favorite, so we've taken to serving them over all kinds of dishes this summer and they're a nice addition. Just chop up some tomatoes and add a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and fresh basil. Let them sit at room temperature (this is what makes them juicy) and spoon them over the grains and veggies before serving. You'll wonder how  you've survived without them. 

Cast Iron Cooking Continues...

Okay, I'm on a roll with this cast iron cooking on the grill. Not only is it effective when trying to beat the heat in the kitchen, it's also a good alternative for cooking those messy dishes like stuffed peppers. You know how it is when you pan fry them on the stove, they splatter everywhere and you're trying to get the grease streaks off the stove for days.

Voila! Here's my solution...

Recipe for Stuffed Peppers

Yep, stuff those babies and fry 'em up on the grill. They'll brown up nicely and there's no messy cleanup. I served them with tortellini and homemade pesto along with a tomato and cucumber salad.

Oh, and wait there's more. I braised some cabbage and beets in the oven then finished them off on the grill.  If you're a fan of both, you'll love this recipe.

I paired that with sausage and peppers. Yes, those wonderful sausage from Fancy's Market in Osterville, again. I cooked the peppers and onions (lightly coated with olive oil) over medium heat until they started to brown, added the sausage and closed the grill cover for about 15 minutes, then removed the peppers and browned the sausage.  What a combination of flavors.

Braised Cabbage
Serves 4 

Head of cabbage (green or red, although I found the green to be more flavorful)
6-8 small red beets, peeled
1 tablespoon grape seed oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 healthy pinch of Victoria Taylor's Toasted Sesame Ginger Seasoning
1 healthy pinch of sumac seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup of organic chicken stock

Remove the outside leaves of the cabbage and cut into quarters. Slice out the inside core of each quarter. Add to a baking dish along with the peeled beets. Add the oil, vinegars, seasonings and toss to coat the vegetables. Allow to marinate all day, turning a few times throughout the process, or leave them overnight in the fridge.

Add the chicken stock and cover the baking dish with foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes, or just until they start to brown. Remove from the oven and transfer the vegetables to a cast iron pan (pan juices included) and continue to brown them over medium heat on your outdoor grill. 

Note: If you've put your baking dish in the fridge allow it come to room temperature before putting it in the oven as it might break. 

Grilling - Cast Iron Style

I use my cast iron skillet a lot during the indoor cooking months, and I've been toying with the idea of using it on the grill. The other night I bought some scrod and it was so hot I couldn't bear the thought of turning on the stove or the oven, so it was time to pull out the skillet. It provided the perfect vessel for cooking the fish to a moist and flaky perfection. The white fishes like scrod, halibut, and sole just don't hold up well on the grill, and this works much better than the grill accessories I've tried in the past. Plus, as an added bonus you'll be able to preserve the tasty pan juices to spoon over the fish before serving.

So you know how it goes...once you get started the possibilities are endless. Last night I roasted potatoes. Look how they finished with a nice crispy crust. They didn't last long when they hit the table.

While you're roasting in the skillet you can share the grill with a meat of your choice. We love the pork sausage from Fancy's Market in Osterville. Serve this up with a salad of chopped romaine, garden tomatoes and fresh basil and you'll have a light summer meal that will keep your fans happy and the kitchen cool.

Scrod with Green Peppers in a Lemon Butter Sauce

Serves 3 

1 lb of Fresh Scrod

1 green pepper, sliced into thin rounds

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

A few pats of butter

A sprinkle of Victoria Taylor's Toasted Sesame Seasoning

1 lemon

Heat your outdoor grill to medium heat.

Cut the scrod into 3 or 4 equal pieces and place in a cast iron skillet.  Drizzle each piece with olive oil and top with a few slices of butter. Sprinkle each piece with a healthy pinch of sesame seasoning. Cook for 10 minutes with the grill cover closed, then squeeze 1/2 half of a lemon over the fish. Cook for 2 more minutes then remove from the pan with a metal spatula. Pour a little bit of the pan juices over the fish when serving. 

Roasted Potatoes

Serves 3 - 4

1.5 lbs of fingerling or new potatoes

Sea salt and pepper

Fresh rosemary

Heat your outdoor grill to low to medium heat.

Parboil your potatoes until a fork pierces them easily, but they don't break apart. Strain and cool for about 10 minutes. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Coat the potatoes with extra virgin olive oil then sprinkle with salt, pepper and finely chopped fresh rosemary. Toss well with a rubber spatula so you don't break up the potatoes. Place the skillet on the grill and close the cover. Turn the potatoes every 10 minutes until they're golden brown. Cooking time is about 50 minutes.

If you're serving the potatoes with the fish,  then cook them first. If you're cooking a meat just calculate its cooking time to coincide with the potatoes. 

Roasted Vegetables with Sausage

Who doesn't love a one pan meal? Especially when you can cook it from start to finish in less than an hour. No fussing, stirring or basting. I've made this dish twice now using vegetables I had on hand. It feels like a French country dish to me, but I'm not sure they eat anything like this, so if you're French and you do, please let me know. It definitely falls in the provencal category and it's enormously satisfying like most provencal foods  are.

Roasted Vegetables with Sausage (serves 3-4)

3-4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces

3 stalks celery, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces

6 slices of cabbage (halved, then cut into 1/2 inch slices)

1/2 sweet white onion (cut into crescents)

4 pork or chicken sausages (use organic, if possible)

Olive oil

Rice and balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Add the vegetables to the skillet, coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with a little rice vinegar and/or balsamic vinegar. Add the sausage and cook for another 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh chopped parsley or dill. Serve it family-style by placing the skillet right on the table. Use a good baguette to sop up the pan juices. 

I've also used butternut squash, green beans, turnip and sweet potatoes.  Take a look in your vegetable bin and see what you've got.  It's a good way to bring a few slightly tired veggies back to life.

Cooking for the Family

I'm heading off tomorrow for a week-long business trip. When I'm away for this long I try to set aside some time to cook for the family before I leave. While there have been times that I've left them to fend for themselves, most of the time I stock up the fridge with a soup, a sauce and possibly something sweet to tide them over. 

With these staples on hand all you need is some rice or pasta, or a green salad, and you've got a meal. I cooked the lentils separately so they can sprinkle them on a salad, or add them to the soup. You could even mix a little of the meat sauce with the soup.  Kind of mix and match meals.

Curried Vegetable Soup
2 leeks (washed and thinly sliced)
3 carrots (peeled and sliced)
3 stalks of celery
1 small butternut squash (diced into 1/2 pieces)
12 oz chopped tomatoes (I like fresh, but you can use canned)
1 yellow squash (quartered then cut into 1/2 pieces)
2 zucchini (same as above)
2 teaspoons yellow curry
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Sprinkle of red pepper flakes
3-4 leaves of chopped kale or collard greens
1 quart vegetable stock (I like Pacific brand)
2 cups of water
Salt and pepper, to taste

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to your stock pot. Saute the leeks until they just start to brown. Add the carrots, butternut squash, celery, and spices. Saute for another 15 minutes. Add the stock, water, tomatoes, yellow and zucchini squashes and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the butternut squash is tender. Add the chopped greens and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer for 5 more minutes.  If your soup is too thick just add a little bit more water. You can serve it with a dollop of plain yogurt, or a sprinkle of crumbled goat cheese.

Quick Meat Sauce
1/2 large sweet white onion (cut into crescents, or diced)
1 lb of ground beef (organic is best)
12 oz of chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 tsp dried cumin
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried pepper flakes
Pecorino Romano
Salt and pepper, to taste.

Saute the onions until they just start to brown. Add the ground beef and cook slowly over medium to low heat. Add the spices and tomatoes,  cover the pan, and make sure it's gently simmering. Cook for 1.5 hours.  This simple sauce is always a big hit with my daughter and her friends. I always serve it with Pecorino Romano cheese, which I think is the secret ingredient because I gave the recipe to a friend and when she made it her daughter said, "This doesn't taste like Laurie's." She followed the recipe, but opted for the Kraft cheese in the green container which she said in hindsight was a mistake. Yep, that seems to be the secret ingredient.

I did make a little something sweet and that's coming in the next post.

Skillet Lamb Chops

I love my Lodge cast iron skillets. They can be used to cook, or bake, just about anything. I just watched David Lebovitz make a tarte tatin in his. Some of you may be using a treasured old pan of your mother's or grandmother's, one that's been seasoned from years of good cooking. If not, a new one can be seasoned by following these simple instructions. I have two skillets; one large, one medium and a medium sized griddle. I use them regularly to bake fish, roast vegetables and potatoes, cook mini pizzas, bake cornbread, or a rustic apple cake. Last night I sauteed New Zealand lamb chops in the large skillet and served them with sauteed cherry tomatoes and broccoli. Cast iron heats evenly and holds the heat nicely so the chops cooked pretty quickly over medium to low heat. 

Greek-Style Skillet Lamb Chops

1 rack of lamb cut into chops (New Zealand or Australian)

2 sprigs of rosemary (removed from the woody stem)

2 cloves of garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons of butter

1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Sprinkle the chops with salt and allow them to come to room temperature before cooking. This keeps the meat tender and moist throughout the cooking process. Melt the butter and add the olive oil. When it's hot and just starts to bubble, add the garlic, rosemary and lemon and saute just until the garlic starts to brown. 

Lay the lamb chops in the pan and saute over medium to low heat for about 8 minutes on each side which should result in a medium rare chop. Cooking them slowly allows them to absorb the flavor of garlic, lemon and rosemary.

When they're cooked to your liking, place them on a platter and drizzle with some of the pan juices. Let them rest for about 5 minutes before serving. 

Sauteed Broccoli and Cherry Tomatoes

Cut broccoli into florets and steam for about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and cool in an ice bath for a few minutes. Drain well. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a cast iron skillet and heat over medium heat. When hot, add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the broccoli and salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes, or until the broccoli is heated through. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with your favorite grated cheese.

You can read up on the health benefits of cooking with cast iron. They're one of the least expensive pans you can buy, and one of the safest with which to cook. You can order them on-line, or keep an eye out for them in TJ Maxx or Marshalls as they frequently make an appearance in the kitchen department at both stores.  For a rustic feel, bring the pans right to the table and be sure to have a little bread on hand to sop up the pan drippings. Delicious!

An Autumn Minestrone with Roasted Cauliflower

With a focus on seasonal cooking, I made an autumnal version of the classic minestrone. Roasted root and winter vegetables were gently simmered in a light vegetarian broth made with chick peas and tomato sauce. The pièce de résistance was the whole roasted cauliflower inspired by Michael Ruhlman's recipe. Roasting the vegetables gives the soup a rich, nutty flavor and combined with the cauliflower it's a hearty, satisfying meal.

Autumn Minestrone with Roasted Cauliflower (Serves 6-8)

1/2 kabocha squash, peeled and diced

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

4 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 small yellow turnip, peeled and diced

2 cups of cooked chick peas

1 cup of leftover tomato sauce, or 1 small can of chopped tomatoes

1 bag of baby spinach

Sea salt and pepper

Lightly toss each of the vegetables (keeping them separate as their cooking times will vary)  in extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven until tender and golden brown. Go here for the cauliflower recipe.  Note: I did combine the squash and the carrots as their cooking times are the same.

Add 3 quarts of water to a heavy stock pan and bring to a boil. Add the chick peas and tomato sauce and allow to simmer while the vegetables are cooking. Cool the roasted vegetables for about 1/2 hour then add them to the simmering broth. Add 1/2 tsp of dried basil and continue to simmer (very gently, not a rolling boil) for another 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and add the spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste. If your soup gets a little too thick you can add more water to thin it out. When the cauliflower is done, transfer the soup to a tureen and place the cauliflower in the middle. You can break it apart using a small knife and fork.  Garnish with your favorite grated cheese. I used grated ricotta salada.  You could also try a hard goat cheese, feta, or parmesan.

Simple Food: Pasta e Ceci

That's what my grandmother called it, simple food. Pasta is cooked with chick peas, then tomato paste is added to the pasta water to create a light tomato sauce. All made in one pot, how much simpler could it be?

I only had Grandma's version once. She brought it over to her daughter's house while I was visiting.  As she stood there holding her saucepan of soup, I ran over to see what was inside and very excitedly told her how delicious it looked. She seemed embarrassed by my enthusiasm. She said, "It's just pasta with ceci."  In other words this is not food that one makes a fuss over. I got that, but she'd made it with homemade pasta and nothing got me more excited than her pasta. Plus, I was always a fan of those simple, peasant dishes so common in Italy. As I savored that first bite, I asked Grandma how to make it. Here's what she said, "Just boil some macaroni, throw in the ceci, add a litte tomato paste to thicken it and you're done." Ok, so those weren't the most detailed instructions, but I stored it for later and assumed I'd figure it out when the day came for me to make it. Yesterday I cooked a batch of chick peas and recalled that first night I had pasta e ceci, so in honor of Grandma I made a batch. 

Pasta e Ceci inspired by Grandma

1/2 lb of uncooked pasta 

(I used Tinkayada gluten-free pasta, but any pasta will do and homemade is the best)

1 cup chick peas
1/4 cup leftover tomato sauce (optional)

3 tbsp tomato paste

Fresh basil

Grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Bring a pot of water to boil and add the pasta. Allow to cook for for a minute, then add the cooked chick peas. When the pasta is done (should be al dente) drain a little water from the pan so you have nice balance between the liquid and the pasta and chick peas. Add the sauce and tomato paste to the pasta water. Allow to simmer a few more minutes, then serve with chopped fresh basil and grated cheese. 

To cook dried chick peas:

Rinse the dried chick peas and add to a heavy stock pot. Add water until it's about 4-5 inches above the peas. Allow to soak for about an hour. Cook over medium heat until tender. This should take about an hour and a half. Add salt to taste after the peas are fully cooked. Drain and use, or store in the fridge for up to a week. 

Segue Pasta

It's time to move on to the hard squashes and root vegetables, and make that transition to heartier fare. Last week I still had a few tomatoes from the garden so I made this gluten-free pasta dish, which combined the tail end of summer with the onset of autumn.

Segue Pasta
1 organic carrot, peeled and diced
1/4 organic butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 small white onion, diced
3 leaves of organic fresh kale, sliced
1 organic boneless chicken breast, sliced (full breast)
2 medium organic tomatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup organic chicken broth
Tbsp of white wine

Saute the onion, carrots and squash in about a tsp of olive oil until just tender (about 10-15 minutes). Add the chicken broth, wine, tomatoes and kale and cook for about 5 more minutes. In another saute pan heat a tsp of olive oil, then add the chicken and cook over medium heat until it's cooked through (about 8-10 minutes). Add the chicken to the vegetables and set aside.

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook off 3/4 pound of pasta. I used gluten-free Tinkayada, which works very well if you cook just until al dente. It should be pretty firm when you bite into it. Warm your chicken and veggies, then bring the pasta right from the water to this pan. Toss over medium heat for two minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. The pasta will continue cooking in the sauce and be a perfect texture when it reaches the table. Sprinkle with your favorite cheese and serve. The combination of flavors really works, and it's a gently segue for your taste buds as we venture into our next season of cooking.

Ratatouille for Lunch and Dinner

We're in the home stretch with the garden. This week I have a pile of zucchini, green peppers, purple pixie eggplants and a few tomatoes staring at me.

For lunch I made a quick ratatouille, which is basically a stir-fry of summer squashes, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes and onions. Drizzle a little olive oil in your saute pan, add some chopped onions, crushed garlic, sliced green peppers, diced zucchini, summer squash and chopped tomatoes (I peeled them). Cook over medium heat until the veggies are tender. I like to cover the pan so it gets a little more juicy. Alternatively, you could place all these ingredients in a roasting pan, or casserole dish, and cook at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with a little fresh basil, salt and pepper to taste, then serve. This is the first year we've had the pixie eggplants. You can leave the skin on as it's quite tender, and I love the flavor. They seem to be less acidic than the larger purple ones.

For dinner I recycled the leftover ratatouille into a simple gluten-free pizza.  For the base use Trader Joe's brown rice tortillas, which you'll find on their handy no-gluten product list. If you have a cast iron pizza pan, or pizza stone, heat that in a 400 degree oven. Spread a thin layer of olive oil on the tortilla then flip it over. Add ratatouille and any other veggies you'd like. I added some steamed broccoli. Sprinkle with a little grated cheese, my favorite is Pecorino Romano, and then add shredded mozzarella, or whatever cheese you have on hand. I used cheddar. Place in the oven on your skillet or stone. You can also use a baking sheet if you don't have either of those.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. The oil on the bottom will give it a nice crispy crunch. Personally, I like a white pizza (no tomato sauce), but feel free to try it with sauce. The tortilla makes a nice thin crust which I happen to adore. It's an easy solution to making a gluten-free pizza that tastes delicious. Consider getting a pizza paddle, if you don't already have one. It's the safest way to get the pizza in and out of the oven, plus you'll look like a pro!

Peppers Stuffed with Summer Squashes and Quinoa

My neighbor, Richard, is growing sweet frying peppers this year. They are similar to Cubanelle peppers, but just a little darker in color. They have a thin skin which makes them ideal for pan frying. We're eating gluten-free these days, so I prepared a filling of zucchini and yellow squash, onions, sunflower seeds and cooked quinoa. I served them over a light, fresh tomato sauce that is so easy to make.

Peppers Stuffed with Summer Squashes and Quinoa
8 long sweet green peppers, or Cubanelle
1.5 cups of cooked quinoa
1 medium (6-9 inch) zucchini, diced
1 medium (6-9 inch) summer squash, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/3 cup/50g of toasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup/60g grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Extra virgin olive oil

Saute the diced onion in about two teaspoons of olive oil until browned. Add the squashes and continue cooking until tender. Remove from the heat and lightly chop the squash.

Add the cooked quinoa and grated cheese, mix well, then add salt and pepper to taste. 

Roast the sunflower seeds over medium heat until golden brown. Mix into the filling.

Tomato Sauce
3 large ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
Olive oil
6-8 fresh basil leaves

Warm the olive oil in a saute pan, add the garlic and brown. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft. Remove from the heat, add the basil and salt and pepper, to taste. Place the cooked tomatoes in a food processor, or blender, and process for about 30 seconds. There's no need to remove the skins as the processor chops them finely and they blend right into the sauce. This would be a great sauce to make with your August tomato harvest. It's quick, easy and it will freeze well.

Slice the tops off the peppers and set them aside. Clean the seed core from the inside of the pepper. If  you run a paring knife around the white core where it attaches to the inside of the pepper, it will come out easily. Take your time, so you don't tear them as these thin skinned peppers are a bit more fragile. Stuff the peppers, then add a few teaspoons of olive oil to your saute pan and heat. Cook over medium heat until golden brown. If the filling starts to come out a little just push it back in with a spoon. I sauteed the tops and used them as a garnish when I plated the peppers.

Pour a spoonful of tomato sauce on your plate, add the peppers and tops, then sprinkle with your favorite grated cheese. Richard's garden on a plate...delicious!