Eating Well: Veggies over Quinoa

It's so easy to eat well in the summertime. Start with a simple salad of fresh garden tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, fresh basil, and a little bit of feta cheese—all lightly dressed with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Sauté up some garden fresh zucchini in olive oil and serve it over a bed of quinoa, add the tomato salad on top and it's heaven! The sweet tomatoes and basil, crunchy cucumbers combined with the saltiness of the feta cheese, a little bite from the red onion; which are all just slightly warmed by the quinoa and zucchini.  It's an explosion of summer flavors in your mouth.

Greek Tomato Salad (veggies from the garden, if possible)

1 large tomato, cut into 1" chunks

1 medium sized cucumber

3 leaves of basil (cut into thin strips)

1 oz of feta cheese (crumbled, or cut into small cubes)

Extra virgin olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Add the chopped tomato, cucumber, basil and feta cheese to a bowl. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and about 1/2 tsp of balsamic vinegar. Mix well, and allow to sit at room temperature while you cook the quinoa and zucchini. Instructions for cooking quinoa are here. Slice one medium zucchini into 1/4 inch slices. Add a 1/2 tbsp of olive oil to a saute pan and heat the oil. Add the zucchini and saute over medium high heat until it just starts to turn golden brown. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

To serve place the quinoa on a plate, add the zucchini and then top with the tomato salad.

Think well, eat well, love well...it's summertime!

Summer Curried Chicken Salad

I love a good chicken salad. It's such a satisfying meal on a warm summer night, especially when I've just pick a head of red leaf lettuce from our neighborhood garden. Yes, I have a wonderful neighbor who plants a large garden and encourages us all to pick from it. Richard is a skilled gardener, and I'm one of his regular pickers.

With curry on my mind, I grabbed an apple and some almonds to get started. I was eying a nice ripe mango, but wasn't sure if it would work, so after I prepared the dressing I did a taste test. I took a piece of chicken, apple, almond and mango then dribbled a little bit of dressing on it, gave it a taste, and voilà a recipe was born.

Summer Curried Chick Salad (serves 4)
3 Boneless breast of chicken (trimmed)
1/4 cup slivered almonds (toasted)
1/2 apple (cut in small cubes)
1 ripe mango (cut into small cubes)
2 stalks of celery
1 carrot
Chopped fresh chives

Curried Mayo Yogurt Dressing
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp of yellow curry powder (or a little more to taste)
1.5 tbsp of Indian Rogan Josh sauce

Place the chicken breasts in a pan of water. Add one stalk of celery and the carrot. Bring it to a boil then turn off the heat, cover the pan and let sit for 20 minutes. (This cooking technique is from Sara Leah Chase's Nantucket Open House Cookbook and it's foolproof.) Remove the chicken from the pan and allow to cool, and then dice into 1/2 inch cubes. Add one stalk of diced celery, almonds, chopped chives, apple and mango. Blend in the dressing a tablespoon at a time to coat the chicken. You can save any extra dressing for several weeks. It makes a nice dip for veggies. Plate it up and you'll have a nice light summer meal.

Stella D'Oro Daylily

Note: The cooking technique works just as well with bone-in chicken breasts.

Happy Independence Day!

Gluten-Free Pasta Primavera

There seem to be more and more people that are gluten intolerant and suffering from celiac disease. Thankfully there are a host of knowledgeable bloggers out there who provide a wealth of information about the disease, and have developed excellent recipes that cover everything from appetizers to dessert. Shauna Ahern creator of Gluten Free Girl and the Chef is one of the most well-known gluten-free bloggers, and has devoted her life to helping others understand and manage the disease. Her site offers a plethora of information about how to live well, gluten-free. Shauna certainly didn't take her diagnosis lying down. While some might complain about what they can't have, Shauna has worked diligently to develop recipes that would make anyone's mouth water. In fact, I'll jump out on a limb here and say anyone can benefit from eating the way Shauna cooks. Much of what she does reminds me of what I learned when studying macrobiotic cooking—a diet rich in whole grains, fresh vegetables, and healthful desserts.

While I don't suffer from celiac, I'm helping someone I love who is eliminating wheat from their diet so I made a gluten-free version of pasta primavera last night. The pasta is made by Tinkayada and can be purchased at most health food stores. When cooked al dente it is tasty. Yes, the first bite will be a bit different than what you're accustomed to if you eat a lot of wheat pasta, but after a few bites I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. I found it to be more satisfying, and less filling.

Gluten-Free Pasta Primavera (serves 4)
1 lb gluten-free pasta (Tinkayada)
1/4 sweet white onion (slicd into crescents)
12 cherries tomatoes (sliced in half lengthwise)
1 cup snap peas (cut into thirds)
8-10 leaves of fresh basil
1/2 lemon
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Grated cheese

 

Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta. While the onions are cooking add the pasta to the water.

Saute the onions in olive oil until just golden brown. Add the cherry tomatoes and snap peas and saute until just tender. Add the basil leaves and cook for 30 seconds. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from heat until the pasta is ready.

 

Once the pasta is cooked to al dente (just a little resistance when you bite into it) use a slotted spoon to add the pasta to the sauteed vegetables. Add a few spoonfuls of the pasta water, and saute for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and squeeze the juice from the lemon over the pasta. Sprinkle with your favorite grated cheese, I used Pecorino Romano, and enjoy!

Fresh Lobster Salad...or a Roll

We're famous for our lobster salad rolls here on Cape Cod, and there are hundreds of places to buy them, but I also enjoy making my own. Sometimes you'll get one made with meat that's been previously frozen, and that's a big disappointment, especially when you pay a premium. So all you need to make your own scrumptious salad is a good fish market and a few simple ingredients.

Here's two of my favorite fish markets on the Upper Cape:

Cape Fish and Lobster, Hyannis
Falmouth Fish Market, Falmouth (They ship, too, if you can't make it to the Cape)

Lobster Salad (serves two)
1 lb fresh cooked lobster meat
1/2 stalk celery (diced)
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp sun-dried tomato paste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Squirt of fresh lemon juice
Fresh chives for garnish

If you're cooking your own lobsters, and need some guidance, then go here. If not, chop the meat into 1 inch cubes. Remove the cartilage before chopping the claws. Add the mayo, tomato paste, celery, and salt and pepper, to taste. Add a squirt of fresh lemon juice, and garnish with chopped chives. You can serve as a salad, or toast up your favorite roll. Traditionally they're served on a buttered and toasted hotdog bun, which is pretty tasty. They're also nice on toasted bioche from Pain D'Avignon Bakery in Hyannis. Perfect for the July 4th weekend!

Coleslaw: A Summer Side Dish

Those who like coleslaw usually have a preference for either a mayonnaise based, or vinaigrette type dressing. For me it's the latter. My first experience with a vinaigrette dressing was at the Clam Shack on Falmouth Harbor. Their version is a combination of red and white cabbage tossed in a light oil and vinegar dressing. I'm pretty sure a lot of restaurants use something that comes out of a giant tub with all kinds of ingredients that are difficult, if not impossible, to pronounce. The Clam Shack's homemade slaw was just perfect alongside my clam strips. I was converted and inspired.

So with summer almost upon us it's time to start making some fresh and tasty side dishes to accompany grilled fish, burgers or chicken salad.  Or maybe just serving your slaw over some steamed brown rice with chick peas:

Whichever you choose, I think you'll be happy with the results. I make a big batch so I can nibble on it for days. It's a great snack, especially when you add the apples. It gives you a bit of sweet, combined with a bit more savory.

Coleslaw with Miso Dressing: Serves 6-8
1/2 head of white cabbage
1/2 head of red cabbage
3 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 organic apple, diced (your choice, I like Granny Smith or Gala)
1 handful dried cranberries (organic)
1 tbsp Victoria Taylor's Toasted Sesame Ginger Seasoning

Miso dressing:
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp tamari (natural soy sauce)
1 tbsp sweet white miso
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp water
Place the ingredients for the Miso dressing in a small bowl. Whisk until  well blended.

Chop the cabbage in thin strips (removing the core first)

 

Add the chopped apples and dried cranberries. Pour in enough dressing to lightly coat the vegetables. You can always add a bit more before serving, if desired. Keeping it light allows for the flavor of the vegetables to come through.

Just before serving toss with 1 tbsp Victoria Taylor's Toasted Sesame Ginger Seasoning which give it a nice spicy kick. Enjoy!

Boston: The South End

We headed into Boston's South End on Saturday.  As one of its oldest neighborhoods, it's home to some of the loveliest Victorian brick row houses in the city. Back in the early 1800's renowned architect, Charles Bulfinch, designed these elegant bow-front town homes with wrought iron railings and small gardens which attracted the younger upper class families of that day to the area. By the turn of the century the well to do moved on to the Back Bay, or out to the suburbs, and most of the homes turned into tenements and lodging houses. In the 40's the area began attracting the gay community, and in the 60's residents began to refurbish the town homes to their former glory. At this same time the South End Historical Society was formed to protect and preserve the architecture of this historic district. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places as the largest Victorian neighborhood in the country. As we strolled down this gorgeous street we met a friendly couple who had just returned from a bike race on the Cape. We chatted about the race, their lovely neighborhood, and shared a laugh about how we had traded places for the day.

Our next stop was the Stanford Calderwood Pavillion, at the Boston Center for the Arts, to see The Drowsy Chaperone.  This clever homage to the American musical is told by a narrator, know only as man in chair, who sits in his tiny apartment and brings his favorite old musical to life. While deconstructing the characters and elements of the show he delivers witty commentary on the farcical, yet poignant message behind each performance. It was laugh-out-loud funny, and pleasantly introspective, which meets my criteria for an enjoyable performance.  It runs through the 19th, and it's worth a trip.

We headed over to Stella on Washington St. for dinner, which made the girls happy as they love Italian. My nephew recommended it, along with a few other spots which will come in handy on a return visit...

The contemporary, well decorated dining room was at the pre-rocking stage when we arrived. We do eat on the early side, but I could definitely feel it picking up as we dined. As you'd expect the wait-staff is young and hip, friendly and efficient.

David and I were going to split the Parmesan Arancini / buffalo mozzarella / in a  spicy pomodoro fondue as a starter, but when the girls got a look at those gorgeous golden-brown rice balls it ended up being a four way split.  More like an amuse-bouche for the table, which actually was the perfect palate teaser and left me with plenty of room for the main course.

I had the Seared Local Scallops / sweet pea risotto / fava beans / with tendril salad and it was perfect! Just look at it. It was the essence of early summer on a plate. Tender juicy scallops over risotto, with fresh crunchy fava beans and sweet peas:

David order the Honey Glazed Salmon / spaghetti squash / cherry tomato / with a citrus vinaigrette. He was pleased, and I was very pleased with the spaghetti squash. The girls has pasta; Tagliatelle / bolognese / reggiano and Stella Homemade Gnocchi / tomato / basil / reggiano. Both were delicious. We skipped dessert as the girls wanted to head over to Newbury Street for a little Pinkberry, but this gives us a good reason to go back. 

As we strolled back to the car we passed the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. Splashed with the glow of the fading sunlight against the brilliant blue sky, it was quite a site.