Month: June 2010

Sweet Potato and Pea Chowder

Who took the bag of corn from my freezer and secretly replaced it with a bag of peas!? Yes, this was supposed to be sweet potato and corn chowder, but these days I just have to go with the flow. This was a super easy recipe; it does take the sweet potato chunks some time to become tender, but you can leave it on the stove simmering and not pay too much attention. I also meant this to be more of a milk based chowder, but there was already a lot of liquid, so I settled for just a splash of milk. Plenty of room for improvement here, so stay tuned.

1 onion, chopped
2 t olive oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 c. vegetable broth
1 c. frozen peas (or corn!)
Splash of milk

In a medium saucepan, saute onion in olive oil. Add potatoes, and saute for 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Remove cover, add peas, and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, add a splash of milk, and season with salt and pepper.

Lavash + Refried Beans = Nachos

Just last week, a few people ask me which type of wraps I use. I really like the Joseph’s brand Flax, Oat Bran, and Whole Wheat lavash, which I find in the deli section of Shaw’s and Stop & Shop. The company is based in Lawrence, MA, so I think they also count as local food.

I use them plain, like in this LOVE wrap, and toasted like the Eggplant Cheese wrap I posted last week. I have also used them as a base for pizza. This time, I used them to make nachos! Remember when I made refried beans? Well, I had just a small container left in the freezer. I cut the wrap into triangles, and baked them on a cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Then, I topped the “nachos” with the defrosted beans and some shredded cheese and baked them for 5 more minutes. I am not going to claim these were anywhere near the best nachos ever, but they did fill the craving with food I already had in the house.

Spiced Eggplant and Lentil Salad

There’s a lot going on in this salad, but it’s all great. First, you mix together roasted eggplant, lentils, spices, honey, lemon juice, and scallions. Then, you place it on a bed of Romaine lettuce and chopped mango. I skipped the recommended cilantro and peanut garnish and left the eggplant/lentil mixture just slightly warm, which worked well.

It was delicious and pretty! Of course, it won’t be as pretty when I try to pack the components to go to work, but I am sure it will taste just as good.

Strawberry Pecan Oats

I don’t post in real time very often, but here is the amazing breakfast I just made – old fashioned oats with strawberries from the freezer and pecans from the pantry. It’s been a crazy week, and I didn’t get a chance to prepare any interesting meals once my bowl of Panzanella was gone.

When I start my day with a healthy breakfast, I feel better all day long. So here’s to a good Friday!

Busy Week Panzanella

I’ve made panzanella before, a winter version and a summer one. But this particular recipe caught my eye, and I’ve had it on my list for a while. When I saw a loaf of multi grain bread in the day-old bin at the store, I decided that now was the time. Plus, I got to use more pea tendrils. But the key to the flavor here is the fresh basil!

The best thing about panzanella is that you can eat the leftovers all week long, and you don’t get tired of it. I think it’s because every bite is different.

Here’s what I threw in a big glass bowl:

1/2 loaf multi grain bread, cut into cubes and baked at 375F for 15 minutes
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2″ pieces and steamed for 5 minutes
3 cups pea tendrils, washed and chopped
1 leek, sliced and sauteed in 1 t olive oil
1 (15 oz.) can white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
Drizzle olive oil
Splash balsamic vinegar
Splash red wine vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Pea Tendrils

I read about pea tendrils on Elizabeth’s blog, and I was definitely intrigued. And it was my lucky day when I went to my favorite produce market on Saturday and spotted them! As the name suggests, pea tendrils are part of the plant which produces peas.

I prepared the pea tendrils by cooking them in olive oil and garlic, and adding a splash of lemon juice at the end. They have just a hint of the flavor of fresh peas, and are not bitter like other greens. The texture reminded me of Chinese broccoli; the stalks are fairly firm and I needed to cut them with a knife in my dish. They are only available for a short season, so look for them now at your favorite produce market!

Eggplant Pizza

Trust me, Domino’s does not deliver anything like this! If you cut the eggplant slices nice and thick, they are almost, dare I say, “meaty”. And putting fresh basil leaves in the sauce made this just a little fancy, in a good way.

The one problem I ran into is that I didn’t have enough sauce for all the eggplant slices – that’s OK, I put the remaining eggplant aside and I am sure I’ll figure out something to do with it. I served this along with some whole wheat couscous, but for a more portable meal I might cut the eggplant piece in half and put it between two sides of a Sandwich Thin.

1 eggplant, peeled and cut into thick slices
Olive oil
Garlic Salt
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 T balsamic vinegar
5-6 basil leaves, cleaned and chopped
Parmesan cheese

Place eggplant slices on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle garlic salt, and bake at 400F for 10 minutes. In the meantime, place the tomatoes, vinegar, and basil in a small saucepan and simmer on low.

When the eggplant slices are ready, spoon about a 1/4 cup of the tomato mixture on each one, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400F for 10 minutes.

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

Oh, I’ve posted plenty of pancake recipes, like the banana pancakes with chocolate swirls. But there’s always a new variation to try, like these Banana Sour Cream Pancakes. I used whole wheat flour and skim milk, and they were still light and fluffy. I am often tempted to take shortcuts, but the lemon zest really does add something here, and to be fair, one of my cooking elves zested the lemon for me. It was a beautiful breakfast!

PB & Co.: Dark Chocolate Dreams

I received a manufacturer’s coupon from Peanut Butter & Co. for a free jar of any flavor. This is no ordinary peanut butter; the company makes specialty flavors including White Chocolate Wonderful, Cinnamon Raisin Swirl, and Dark Chocolate Dreams. I think I spent 20 minutes in the aisle reviewing all the flavors available before making my choice.

I decided to bring the jar with me on Memorial Day weekend, and as you might expect, we all loved it! The flavor is similar to Nutella, and the texture is rich and creamy. It’s more of a treat than a sandwich spread, but what a wonderful treat it is.

Note: I have spotted PB & Co. at Whole Foods with the other nut butters, and at Shaw’s in the Wild Harvest section. They also make peanut butter in squeeze packs, but I have only seen those available for purchase online.