Mushroom Bourguignon

I haven’t actually made the famous beef version yet, but this mushroom bourguignon from Smitten Kitchen brought me right to France. See, I also just finished reading Julia Child’s ‘My Life in France‘, so French cooking was already on my mind.

This dish was perfectly elegant without being heavy. I followed the recipe almost exactly, except that I used a mix of cremini and white mushrooms. The broth didn’t thicken up as much as I expected, but perhaps I should have had more patience, or added a bit more flour. It didn’t really matter, because it was delicious slurped up with egg noodles. This is the perfect vegetarian dish for a dinner party.

Almond, Apricot, and Avocado Salad

My cooking club theme this month was nuts, and I made an almond, apricot, and avocado salad. I was inspired by a recipe I saw on the website ‘Vegan Chef’, but the link isn’t currently working so I posted the full recipe below, with my modifications. The salad turned out well, and definitely had the fresh citrus taste of summer. It is pictured below with the other dishes from our meal, including cashew chicken, rice, and carrots cooked with almonds. It was a fantastic meal, with an equally delicious and decadent dessert which I will get the recipe for soon.

1/2 c. apple juice
1/4 t ginger
10-12 dried apricots, diced, divided
3 T lime juice
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 T maple syrup
1 avocado, diced
2 t lemon juice
1 carrot, shredded
10-12 dried apricots, diced, divided
3-4 scallions, sliced thinly
6-8 c. green leaf lettuce
1/4 c. toasted slivered almonds

To make dressing, simmer apple juice, ginger, and 2-3 T diced apricots in a small saucepan for 5 minutes. Cool briefly, then pour into food processor and add lime juice, cider vinegar, and maple syrup and blend until smooth.

Toss avocado and lemon juice in a small bowl to prevent browning. Add carrot, remaining diced apricots, and scallions. Set aside.

Tear lettuce and place in a large bowl. Add avocado mixture, almonds, and dressing and toss well.

-Recipe adapted from Vegan Chef

Roasted Golden Beets

Most of the produce offered at the winter farmer’s market consisted of root vegetables, like turnip, carrots, and beets. Are you sitting down, Mom? Because yes, I bought beets, that vegetable that I always hated as a kid! They were organic beets from Wintermoon Farm in Hadley, MA. The farm does not have a website, but there is a neat article about the farm and their efforts to be carbon neutral.

I picked up a few beets to purchase, and asked the farmer how he would cook them. He recommended that I trim the ends, and cut off any bad spots but not actually peel the beets. Then they could be roasted at 375F with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. That’s exactly what I did, and the end result was delicious. They were golden brown and tender, and I was happy to be eating locally.

Wayland Farmer’s Market at Russell’s Garden Center

I have never been so happy to see so much green! I decided to hit the Wayland Winter Farmer’s Market at Russell’s Garden Center on the very last weekend of the season. It was just the breath of spring air I needed after a long week of winter weather, a bad head cold, and no fresh produce. The place itself is huge, and would be heaven for someone who is into gardening. Sadly, I have no green thumb, but I still loved walking around.

There were flowers everywhere, and even the birds were singing (or sleeping, in this case)!

Amidst all the beautiful plants and flowers, there was a great group of vendors with local products including a variety of breads, cheeses, honey, and yes, fresh vegetables. I tasted a few cheeses which I liked, but my main focus was on the produce. The winter selection is limited of course, but I did buy one new item, and the farmer himself told me how to cook it. Details tomorrow!

Balsamic Veggie and Feta Wrap

Frozen vegetables to the rescue again, but this time in a wrap. I used this vegetable mixture the first time in a stir fry, and really like the combination. Since the vegetables went straight from the freezer to the frying pan, this was another quick meal, and the balsamic vinegar added a nice touch. While I love to blog about the dishes that I make on the weekends when I have more time, I also want to show you some quick and easy weeknight options.

2 c. frozen vegetables (such as onions, mushrooms, green beans, and broccoli)
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. crumbled fat free feta
Wrap of your choice

Heat a large skillet with cooking spray. Saute vegetables for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through. Drizzle vinegar in pan, add feta, and cook for 2- 3 minutes more. Place mixture on wrap and roll up.

Baked Tofu Sandwich

I’ve had this sandwich on my list of recipes to try, but in the meantime I took a shortcut when I needed to throw together a quick lunch. I had already made a batch of Baked Tofu, and of course I had a stash of Arnold Sandwich Thins. I placed the tofu on one side, and a tsp of peanut butter, drizzle of honey, and sprinkle of ginger on the other. The sandwich worked in a pinch, but it was a little bit dry. Next time I will try adding the vegetables and making a wrap.

Quick Fried Bulgur

You can not only make this meal in less than 30 minutes, but you can also empty the dishwasher, sort through your mail, and pour a glass of wine at the same time. I took this recipe from Green Lite Bites, and substituted about a cup and a half of frozen vegetables. The mix included onions, mushrooms, green beans, and broccoli. Again, fresh vegetables would be great, but frozen works here too. Keep this recipe handy for your busiest nights!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Broccoli Soup

I went to the supermarket on Saturday with a list of things I needed for the week, and was very disappointed with the produce selection. Yes, it’s that time of year where it seems like nothing is in season, and there are signs up indicating that the bad weather has impacted growers nationally. I hear there are farmer’s markets in the Boston area that run through the winter, but I was short on time, so I hit the freezer aisle this week instead.

I don’t know what this recipe is like with fresh vegetables, but it was incredibly good with frozen substitutes! I used a 20 oz. package of butternut squash and an 8 oz. package of broccoli, and they went straight from the freezer to the oven for roasting. I mashed the squash by hand which was smooth enough for me, and the rest of the recipe was easy. The soup is just a little bit sweet from the orange juice, and a little bit spicy from the curry and cayenne.

Almond Crusted Chicken Nuggets

Last week I classed up some macaroni and cheese, so this week I tackled chicken nuggets. I used this recipe, except that I cut the chicken into smaller pieces. It took a little longer to dip them individually, but they cooked more quickly in the oven. The coating was very flavorful due to the almonds, paprika, and garlic powder, and the nuggets were crispy without being fried. And while they were good on their own, I had fun dipping a few in ketchup. You’ll have fun too.

Trader Joe’s Reduced Guilt Brownies

I like to keep a brownie mix around the house, you know, just in case there is a baking emergency. Of course, these emergencies almost never happen, and then I spy the box on the top shelf of the cabinet and decide my chocolate craving qualifies as an emergency.

This time, I used Trader Joe’s Reduced Guilt Brownie mix to make a single brownie. You combine 2T of the mix with 1T yogurt in a mug, and then microwave it for 45 seconds. The box suggests vanilla yogurt, but plain is the staple at my house. The batter was fairly stiff, but it did produce a moist chocolate brownie which was plenty sweet. It wasn’t the prettiest brownie, but it satisfied my chocolate craving well. Now, if I can just hide the box so I don’t make one of these every night….

*I purchased this product at full retail value, and did not receive any compensation for this product review.