back from visiting family

Sorry little blog, I've been neglecting you - life got in the way. I'm back now and will be posting more soon!

chana punjabi

You already know that I love Chickpeas, so it should be no surprise that I love this recipe for Chana Punjabi. A friend sent me the recipe (as posted in the NY Times) months ago. Despite all appearances of deliciousness, it was the beginning of the summer and each week I was busy eating my CSA box and never seemed to find time to make this dish. The last several days have been rainy and winter-like and I decided this was the time (also I have a 3.5 lb. bag of dried chickpeas). I chopped, stirred, and simmered this yesterday and fell in love. Yum. Yum.

Chana Punjabi

1 T. safflower oil

1 onion, chopped

2 t. garlic, minced

1 t. ginger, minced

1 red chili, chopped (or other as desired)

1 can diced tomatoes (or 2 fresh large ones)

1 1/2 t. paprika

1 t. sea salt, or to taste

1 t. ground coriander

1/2 t. garam masala

1/4 t. turmeric

1 t. lemon juice

1 1/3 c. dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (or 2-15 oz. cans, rinsed)

2 T. cilantro, minced

cooked rice for serving

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat oil and add onion. Saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic ginger and chili, and saute until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and 1/4 c. water. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Puree mixture with hand blender in pot until smooth. Return to pan and place over medium heat. Add spices (paprika, salt, coriander, garam masala, turmeric) and lemon juice. Add pre-soaked and rinsed chickpeas and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low.

3. Start to prepare brown rice for serving.

4. Cover and simmer until sauce is thick and chickpeas are soft (45 min-1 hour). Stir pan periodically and add water (up to 1 1/2 c.) to prevent burning. When ready to serve remove lid and reduce sauce until it's thick (if not already). Stir in cilantro. Adjust salt. Serve with cooked rice

Serves: 2- 4

eggplant steaks

I usually eat eggplant in a partnership with tomatoes, and although I love this combination, it's nice to try another option. These were moist and not greasy (an issue with eggplant as it will absorb fat faster than a french fry) and I imagine especially good on a grill (sadly, I'm grill-less so broiler for me). If it's not rainy were you are (unlike here) this will make a good labor day bbq option. Happy Labor Day!

eggplant steaks

1 T. canola oil

1" fresh ginger, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 t. red chili flakes

1/2 c. hoisin sauce (~8 oz. jar)

1 T. rice wine vinegar

1 T. soy sauce

1 med. eggplant, ends trimmed and cut into 1/2" thick slices, lengthwise

6 T. olive oil

sea salt & freshly ground pepper

fresh cilantro, to garnish

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and red chili flakes and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the hoisin sauce, vinegar and soy sauce until combined.

Heat broiler* to high. Use cookie sheet or dish (cover with foil for easier clean-up) and brush eggplant with olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Cook in dish for 4-5 minutes. Brush with glaze and turn over, cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Remove and brush with remaining glaze. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

* alternatively, you can also grill the eggplant

note: adapted from recipe circulated by my CSA

pasta roma

As a high-school exchange student I was introduced to all sorts of new foods (and, well, everything). One of my host-moms, italian by birth and culture, has lived most of her life in Belgium. She is the most delightful cook and introduced me to pasta roma. She always used fresh pasta and would cook it for my Wednesday lunch (half day at school) and I loved it. I haven't made it in awhile, but just made it for lunch.

Pasta Roma

olive oil

garlic, crushed

parmesan cheese

pasta (traditionally fettuccine)

Mix olive oil and garlic and heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Be careful not to fry the garlic, if you do throw out and start again. Add drained pasta to sauce and mix. Dress with fresh parmesan cheese and, if desired, add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, parsley or basil. Enjoy!

lemon mustard dressing

Salad dressing is a great intro food to cooking. They are easy to make and because they are so flavor rich you really notice your effort. I started regularly making my own dressing in college and always get compliments on them. You just need a few condiments to start making dressings ... which is especially shocking when you look at the ingredient list of your favorite store bought dressing. It probably has at least 15 ingredients, most of which you don't recognize and of the ones you do recognize are sugar and salt and cheap oil.

Lemon mustard dressing

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 t. wholegrain* mustard

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix garlic, wholegrain mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt & pepper. You can add the olive oil to this mixture or to emulsify (therefore the dressing won't separate and seems creamy) grab a whisk (I have an attachment on my hand-blender) and slowly pour the oil into the dressing while constantly whisking (why the electric whisk is so handy). Pour the dressing into a saved jar and refrigerate.

Notes: If the dressing is oil rich, it will solidify in the fridge (this dressing doesn't) so pull out when you start making dinner and it will be ready by dinnertime.

* wholegrain mustard is a mustard with whole mustard seeds - you'll find it with the other mustards.

dried chickpeas

Chickpeas (aka Garbanzo beans) are one of those foods that I eat in cycles: a bunch and then a break. Right now I'm eating a bunch (and have a potful on the stove), besides being tasty they are very high in protein. A few years ago I heard that dried chickpeas are so much better than canned (which isn't surprising since that's true of all dried beans) and since then I've looked for them. The healthy food and local grocers I frequent didn't carry them, nor the mass grocers, and then one sunny day at the farmers market I saw bins of dried beans. I bought a pound and haven't seen them at the market since, but luckily I found them at another grocer (Fred Meyer). Their prep is similar to other dried beans and they aren't slimy as the canned ones tend to be. I've been eating them cold, sprinkled with chili powder.

spicy kale and white bean soup

Soup is one of the easiest genres of food to throw together - maybe that's not really true (salads, anyone?). Sometimes I use another recipe as a guide, but once you pick up the concepts, it's pretty easy to rummage around the fridge and pantry and come up with a soup.

This was a bit of a rummage - kale, carrots, and squash? I always have garlic and onions in the pantry and broth in the freezer .. I was out of white beans so when I went to the store I picked up a couple of pounds. When I was at the store I picked up a loaf of fresh organic bread - always a great accompaniment to soup.

Kale and white bean soup:

olive oil

1 onion, sliced

garlic - lots, whole or large chop

1 c. chopped carrots

1 lb. white beans, soaked and cooked

6-8 c. vegetable stock

1 bunch kale, washed and chopped

1 med yellow squash, sliced

salt & pepper, to taste

1+ T. chili powder

Heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion. Cooked until translucent and add carrots and garlic. Cover and sweat the carrots for 10 minutes. Add white beans and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add kale. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until it is tender. Add the squash and spices (as desired). Add more stock/water as needed.

Serve with red pepper flakes or jalapeno cheese. Enjoy!

salad lunch

beet green pasta

As a kid, if anyone asked me what I wanted for dinner I had one answer: spaghetti. We always made it with red sauce, usually with hamburger, always with copious amounts of dried oregano and scoops of dried parmesan. Once I got a bit older my palette matured and I realized pasta could be served with something other than marinara (thanks Gabby!) and I was introduced to real, fresh parmesan.

Every two weeks when I get my CSA box (or the weekend before when I get the contents list) I make a quick assessment about what I must eat in the next couple of days and what can wait. On the top of the eat soon list are a variety of greens. Not usually lettuce, that keeps for a bit, but things like chard, kale, carrot tops and beet greens. My box this week contains kale, carrot tops, and beets. First on the eat list are the beet greens - they have the shortest shelf life. The beets keep uncooked for a while but the tops will wilt immediately. I usually go ahead and roast the beat (I prefer to eat them cold, so they are ready in the fridge for eating). I also remove the carrot tops and prep them by washing and either immediately make pesto (which is my fail-safe) or keep them in the spinner in the fridge for a day until I have time to use them.

Beet Green Pasta

onion, sliced

garlic, peeled

basil, fresh

olive oil

beet greens, tops of 3 small beats washed, dried and chopped

salt & pepper, to taste

whole wheat pasta

parmesan

Slowly saute the onion with olive oil over med-low heat until they are well browned. Add the cloves of garlic and the beet greens. Add salt, pepper, and more olive oil as desired/needed. Cover than cook slowly until greens are limp. Add basil. Meanwhile cook pasta in boiling water to al dente. When pasta is done, drain and add to sauce pan. Stir. Cook for another minute. Serve with parmesan. Yield: 2 large portions

pumpkin bread

This week it's quite a bit cooler and reminiscent of fall. I'm not ready for a northwest fall, but I've enjoyed vegetable soup almost everyday and thought it's time to pull out some cooler weather favorites (looks summer-y next week!). Upon searching for something in the freezer I came across about 1 c.* of roasted pumpkin puree leftover from a white pumpkin I bought last October. My solution was to make pumpkin bread! In the process I finished the molasses and dried cranberries. I feel such satisfaction and accomplishment when I use up infrequently used items, such as molasses and pumpkin puree.

Pumpkin Molasses Bread

1 c. oil

2 c. brown sugar

1 c. blackstrap molasses

2 eggs

2 c. pumpkin

1 c. dates/nuts/raisins

3 c. whole wheat flour

1 1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 t. nutmeg

1 t. cloves

2 t. soda

3 1/2 t. cinnamon

oats (optional)

3 T. dark rum (optional)

Mix all ingredients together (except the oats) and pour into pans. Sprinkle oats over tops. Bake at 350 deg. F for 1 hour in greased pans. Yield 3 small loaves or 2 medium loaves or 8 tiny loaves (like above) or lots of muffins.

*I made 1/2 this recipe and baked in 3 tiny loaf pans, that's why it overflowed - start checking at 50 min for doneness.

air guitar

Jack Ziegler (The New Yorker, August 10, 2009 issue)

organic dinner

My dinner last night was delicious and couldn't help but share it with you. Also it was all organic - with the exception of the cilantro, wine, and salt n' pepper (can salt qualify as organic?). I had scrambled eggs with cilantro and sauteed onions, steamed green beans, and steamed fingerling potatoes. The veggies were dressed with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt and pepper. I drank a red wine left at my birthday party (2007 Chariot Gypsy, $5 at Trader Joe's) and some water. Yum!

Gidget burped her praises for her dinner as she had her 2nd raw meal (we're trying to see if she likes - yes - and if it will help some of her skin issues - tbd).

is it organic? is it genetically modified?

Doing a little light nutritional reading yesterday I discovered a fascinating tidbit. Every wonder what those annoying produce stickers really mean? Aside from giving the code when you're checking out at the grocer's they also tell you how the produce was grown. You can identify conventional, organic, and genetically modified produce.

All codes start with 4-digits. For example, #4046 means avocado the world over. It is an internationally recognized code. If it is just those 4 numbers then you know it was conventionally grown (what conventional is might vary by country, of course). If this 4-digit number is preceded by a '9', such as #94046, then it is organic. If it is preceded by an '8', such as #84046 then it is genetically modified (GMO or GE).

I prefer to eat organic (not always possible on my budget) but now I can definitely steer clear of GMO crops. Also use the code to confirm that what the bin label says is actually what is in the bin.

taco salad

When I saw the forecast leading up to this heat wave I started to think about food. Cooking is the last thing I want to do when it's hot. I also don't have a grill so everything must be done in the kitchen. I instantly decided taco salad, yogurt, and cabbage salad were the answers... I went ahead and prepared some more cabbage salad (I soak the cabbage in some hot water - the only 'cooking' involved) and started working on the taco salad. The only preparations I had were soaking and cooking the beans (red) and sautéing the onion and red pepper. And the only thing I needed to buy was salsa...

Taco salad:

1-2 handfuls of corn chips

1 c. beans (red, black, pinto..)

1-2 forkfuls of sautéed onions & peppers

gratings of cheese (colby, cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack ...)

microwave for 1-2 minutes to melt cheese (if desired)

large serving of fresh greens

couple of large globs of salsa (acts as a dressing)

1 t. soar cream

fresh tomatoes, cilantro, or cooked corn etc.

staying cool

If you follow the news then you probably heard that the pacific northwest is in an all-sorts-of-record-breaking heat wave. It's HOT! This morning we set the warmest low ever (73 deg - 4 deg warmer than the previous record) and today we're expected to break the warmest ever high record (of 100 deg).

To try to keep cool(er) I have spent the early mornings and evenings on my porch - although technically may not be cooler than my apartment the warm breeze feels nice. I take some reading, a cooling glass of water, iced tea, or sangria and bring the fan to heighten that breeze. In the evenings I pull a lamp near so I can continue to read after sunset. It's kinda noisy (busy street) and I can hear everyone else on their porches (talking on cell phones) but still it's a break from the indoor sauna that is my apartment.

Why not go somewhere cooler??? I might break down today, but in general I don't know where to go. I would head to the library with my laptop, but I can't take my pooch and it's seems cruel to leave her behind.

Tips to keep cool:

1. drink cold beverages

2. drink hot beverages (this works by making you sweat and then you feel cooler)

3. eat spicy food (same as #2)

4. read escapist literature (maybe it's time to pull out the Anne books?)

5. take COLD showers - I'm also giving my dog daily cold showers to help cool her down (when she starts panting you know it is time for that shower)

6. plug fan into extension cord so you can easily pull it around the apartment after you

7. dig through sweater box to find those tank tops you know you have somewhere

8. put fitted sheet on [futon] sofa because it's cooler to the touch than the upholstery

9. eat salads, popsicles, and fruit

10. wrap ice with a bandana and place on nape of neck or forehead for instant cool

11. close windows and shades when outdoors surpasses the interior temp (84 presently)

12....