Easy Miso Soup

Fast and flexible, this Miso Soup is my go to lunch when I'm working from home. I use what veggies I have on hand although my favorites are baby portabellos and snow peas. This recipe is easily scalable so you can feed yourself or a full crew. I try to keep some firm tofu in the fridge just for this soup but have made it without tofu and still enjoyed.

Easy Miso Soup
For each portion:
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 to 3/4 cup sliced veggies, (mushrooms and snow peas preferred)
2 to 3 ounces firm tofu, diced
1 1/4 cups water, divided
2 to 3 teaspoons miso paste, red or white
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger root, optional
Chives or green onions for garnish
red pepper flakes, optional
Heat a sauce pan over medium high heat. Pour oil in pan, stir in veggies and cook for a minute. Add tofu and cook another minute or two, stirring occasionally, until the tofu begins to brown a bit. Pour in 1 cup of water, stir to loosen any of the fond on the bottom of the pan and bring to a simmer. Using a micro plainer, grate ginger into the soup. Make a slurry with the remaining water and miso paste. When soup is simmering, turn off heat and stir in the miso slurry. Transfer to bowl and garnish with chives or green onions and red pepper flakes.

Hints: Storing sesame oil in the fridge increased its shelf life, it remains liquid and easy to use even when chilled. Peanut oil is a good alternative but any oil will be fine. I have used asparagus, carrot, celery, eggplant, parsnip, peppers, spinach and zucchini as veggies in this soup and they were all good. Shred, dice or chop to produce small enough pieces that cook quickly and they will work beautifully. To store tofu successfully, transfer to an air tight container and cover with water. Changing the water daily will keep the tofu fresh for a week after opening the package. Miso paste is available in most grocery stores, (Smiths, Whole Foods etc) and will keep for several months in the fridge. The red variety is my favorite for this soup. Two tricks when using miso for soup: 1) making a slurry will ensure quick, even distribution 2) don't boil the soup after adding the miso slurry. The ginger adds a bright note to the flavor profile and I keep a knob frozen so it is easy to grate into the soup. I love to pluck some fresh chive from my garden for the garnish but the green onion is a great choice as well. And of course, I use a healthy shake of crushed red pepper flakes because I like my soup spicy. Tofu and miso are good sources of probiotics; the ginger also aids digestion.

I started making miso soup with Trader Joe's miso ginger broth and liked it so much that I wanted to learn how to make it from scratch. That broth is a good product but I wanted a bit more umami "oomph" so I moved on to making my own, adjusting the flavors until it was just what I wanted. I love how quickly this homemade soup comes together and how satisfying a meal it is. 

Pomegranate, Quinoa and Hominy Salad

This was my go to salad for the 2014 holiday season. Great at pot lucks as well as great for quick, healthy dinners at home.  I am going to keep going to it for a while longer--as long as I can get pomegranates this winter.

Pomegranate, Quinoa and Hominy Salad
4 cups mixed greens (spinach, arugula, romaine etc.)
1 cup pomegranate arils
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup white hominy
1 cup cooked red quinoa
1/2 sweet onion, sliced thinly
1/4 cup slivered red cabbage
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
optional: 4 ounces blue cheese, cubed or crumbled
Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Prepare and place in a serving bowl the greens, pomegranate arils, pistachios, hominy and quinoa. Heat a small non stick sauce pan to medium heat then add the sweet onion slices, red cabbage and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cook and stir for 4 or 5 minutes. Add vinegar and salt. Continue to cook for another 4 or 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vinegar has reduced almost entirely. Set aside to cool slightly.
Prepare the dressing by whisking the ingredients together. Toss the warm onions and cabbage, the blue cheese if using and the dressing with other ingredients just before serving.

Hints: This is a very hearty salad and can easily be used as a main dish, especially if you use the blue cheese. Try feta or fresh mozzarella if you don't like blue cheese. I find white hominy in the canned vegetable section of the supermarket. It comes in yellow too. Cut the onion in half lengthwise and then slice it into slivers. When I took this salad to pot lucks, I kept the dressing and the onion cabbage mixtures separately to transport then mixed together just before serving. I had some pomegranate balsamic vinegar on hand that I purchased from my local grocery store (I also saw it at Trader Joes) but plain balsamic would be just fine. I try to keep some cooked quinoa on hand in the fridge for salads like this one, soups or for crackers etc. Black or brown rice would be a good substitute for the quinoa.

This not only tastes superb but travels well and has beautiful color, (red, green and white) for a winter salad. When I make it with romaine lettuce only, it holds up until the next day for my leftovers lunch.

Cauliflower and Pumpkin Soup

Seasonal eating. One of my favorite things about winter is soup. Belly warming, aromatic, soul pleasing soup. This one is an interpretation of Indian cuisine I came up with a few weeks ago that uses readily available ingredients and comes together very quickly. I've made it several times already, once served it in bread bowls, which was exceptionally nice.

Cauliflower and Pumpkin Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (I used canned but cooking your own would be awesome)
4 cups hot water
2 cubes vegetable bullion (or 1 tablespoon chicken stock paste)
salt to taste
pomegranate garnish, optional (see Hints for additional serving ideas)
Heat a 2 quart sauce pan over medium high heat. Add oil to pan. Stir in onion and cook for 1 minute. Stir in cauliflower, 1/2 teaspoon salt and Garam Masala. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. When onion begins to brown, add the pumpkin puree and cook for an additional 3 or 4 minutes. Then add the water and bullion. Bring to a simmer and puree with an immersion blender. Check seasonings and add salt if necessary. Serve hot with pomegranate garnish if desired.

Hints: Chop the cauliflower pretty finely. A really nice thing about soup is the flexibility in measurements. The proportions of cauliflower to pumpkin here is about 1 to 1 in weight. I like Target's Archer Farms brand Garam Masala and toasting it with the cauliflower brings out a beautiful flavor. A immersion blender is really useful but you could also blend in a counter top model. I also ate this soup as lunch heated up with a spoonful of white hominy and of red quinoa in the bottom of the bowl--it was fantastic and I highly recommend eating it this way!

This cauliflower pumpkin combo could go another direction with different flavors--maybe Mexican with chili powder and cumin; or Greek with some lemon zest and oregano. Let me know if you come up with a great flavor profile.

Frozen Blackberry Lemonade

It has gotten hot! Signaling the time for cooling drinks. Frozen lemonades, refreshing in taste, temperature and texture, are great for kicking off the season. Blended with blackberries and made with honey, may even be pretty healthy for you.

Frozen Blackberry Lemonade
12 ounces frozen blackberries
4 medium lemons
3 to 6 tablespoons honey (how sweet do you like your lemonade?)
4 cups cold water (use carbonated water if desired)
Place 1/2 the berries in a blender container. Wash two lemons well under running water. Zest one lemon over berries. Squeeze the juice of the zested lemon and one other into the blender container. Add 1/2 the honey and then 1/2 of the water. Place cover on blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a serving pitcher. Repeat with the other half of ingredients. Serve right away.

Hints: There are seeds. The blackberries are loaded with them and I don't strain the lemonade, although you could if the seeds are a concern for you. Use room temperature lemons to get the most juice out and make sure you strain the lemon seeds out. I have used commercially frozen blackberries and have frozen my own for this recipe. Layer fresh blackberries on a wax paper lined tray and pop in the freezer for an hour or two. Once frozen, place them in a zip top bag and remove as much air as possible. They will keep for several months.

It's a hit! Sophie and Robby are working on their third cups here.

Broccoli Peanut Salad

Green is THE color tomorrow. Green pancakes or green mint cookies or green pudding are wonderful, (I know that I will have at least one of those,) but I wanted to offer a healthier way to dive into the colored frenzy of the day. (The one day a year I get to wear my shiny green flash eyelashes!) Use green bell pepper and substitute pistachios for the peanuts for a fully VERDANT dish. If you need additional green food ideas check out Broccoli Salad w/ cheese, Spinach Crepes and Arugula Kiwi Salad.

Broccoli Peanut Salad
2 cups chopped broccoli, tough stems discarded
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup roughly chopped roasted, salted peanuts
1/3 cup cooked bacon crumbles, about 3 slices, (optional)
1 medium avocado, diced
Place all ingredients except avocado in a bowl and toss with the peanut dressing. Add the avocados and mix gently. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Peanut Dressing
3 tablespoons peanutbutter
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon honey (optional)
Place ingredients in a microwave safe dish and microwave for about 20 seconds. Mix thoroughly with a fork or flat whisk. Pour over salad and toss.

Hints: You can choose not to use the bacon if you want a vegan dish. The best result is, of course, with a perfectly ripe avocado. The dressing options of red pepper flakes and honey will give you a sweeter and hotter result -- which I prefer. This dish can be a light meal on it's own; it is also a great accompanying dish for fish, pork or chicken meals. It holds well and is perhaps even better the next day after chilling overnight. Terrific with a tuna sandwich on rye bread.

The smooth avocado amid the crunchy veggies and peanuts is blissful. The strong broccoli, pepper and bacon flavors require a strongly flavored dressing which is exactly what this peanut butter dressing is. What a great way to get several of your five daily veggie servings!

Chicken Curry with Sweet Potatoes

On a menu in any restaurant the word "curry" nabs my attention. Usually I end up ordering a curry if it is offered and usually I am perfectly happy about it. So making curries at home is a natural outcome. (The same holds true for "tamale".) This curry has sweet potatoes along with other good for you veggies and spices. Healthy eating is a great adventure!

Chicken Curry with Sweet Potatoes
1 medium sweet potato
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 medium carrots
1 cup snow or snap peas
2 medium stalks celery
1 large orange bell pepper
4 green onions
1/4 cup loosely packed chopped basil
1 lime
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger root
3 medium chicken breast halves, skinned and boned
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
3 teaspoons curry powder
2 cans coconut milk
2 cups water, divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 cups cooked quinoa or rice for serving
Peel and dice sweet potato. Slice mushrooms. Peel and slice carrots. Rinse peas to clean. Dice celery and pepper. Clean and cut green onions into 1 inch long pieces. Chop basil. Zest lime and cut into 6 segments. Grate ginger.

Cut the chicken meat into 1 1/2 - 2 inch pieces and sprinkle with the salt. Place a heavy pot over medium high heat. Add coconut oil to hot pan. Saute chicken allowing each side to brown well before turning. When chicken is browned, sprinkle curry powder over the meat and stir so that the curry heats in the coconut oil.

Stir in the ginger and lime zest then add the coconut milk and 1 3/4 cups water. Stir in the sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, peppers, mushrooms and lime wedges. Cover the pot and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are beginning to soften. Remove the lime wedges and discard; add the peas and green onions. Continue to cook while making a slurry with the corn starch and remaining 1/4 cup water. Stir in the slurry and cook curry for another 5 minutes. Add the basil and cook for another minute or two then serve hot with quinoa or rice. Feeds 6 to 8 hungry adults.

Hints: I like to get everything ready before I begin cooking but chopping as you go is fine too. Substitute ( or omit) veggies as you wish. Use what is available and fresh. Freezing ginger root makes it easy to work with, but frozen root won't work for all recipes--this one it does. I use one can of lite coconut milk and one can full fat, but you can use either. The fresh basil is wonderful but can be expensive so dried is OK, just add a bit earlier so that its' flavor will bloom. Cook the quinoa while the curry is cooking so that everything is hot at once. I like to scoop the quinoa on top rather than under the curry for presentation. A one dish meal, this needs nothing to complete it.

Warm and cozy, this meal is a winner for curry fans. An aromatic, pleasant way to eat your veggies with enough protein to keep you satisfied through a long winters' evening. We will be having this again soon at my house. Try these Curried Chicken Spinach Crepes as spring approaches.

Hummus with Roasted Sweet Potato

Hummus and fresh veggies in the fridge means a healthy snack is always an option. Sweet potato ramps up the nutritional heft and the flavor in this version of hummus. I used part of the roasted sweet potato in a souffle and the rest for this appetizer/snack. Neal uses hummus instead of mayo on his sandwiches--have I mentioned he's a smart guy? With a few pantry friendly ingredients and a bit of time you can have a flavorful, healthy dip/spread at the ready.

Hummus with Roasted Sweet Potato
4 cloves garlic
1 cup sweet potato chunks, 1- 2 inch dice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans
2 tablespoons tahini paste (I buy this at the local grocery store)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
Salt to taste
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss unpeeled garlic and sweet potato chunks with olive oil and place on a roasting sheet. Cook for about 20 minutes or until tender, stirring once. When cool enough to handle, squeeze garlic out of skins into a food processor bowl along with the sweet potato. Drain beans, reserving liquid. Add beans, tahini, lemon juice and zest. Pulse several times. With processor on, pour in some of the reserved liquid and process until very smooth. Use up to half the liquid, depending on the consistency you like. Add salt to taste. Serve with naan, pita bread or veggie dippers.

Hints: A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top is great when serving it with naan or pita bread. Add more or less lemon if you like. Hummus should be very smooth and creamy. I like mine with a bit more body, especially with veggie dippers, and so I use less of the liquid from the beans. It is always easy to add a bit more liquid but impossible to take any out so don't let it get soupy (if it does, open another can of beans). This recipe doubles easily w/o any modifications. Good served at room temp, OK chilled, too. Stores for several days in the fridge.

Sweet potato makes this hummus colorful, so serve it with bright green veggies for a great visual payoff. Happy snacking! (Check out Lemon and Carrot Hummus  for another non-dairy, non-gluten recipe.)

Chilli Sauce and Sloppy Joes

Here's a shout out to the Downs'! This is a recipe of my Mom's that uses Nana Hoffman's (Aunt Trudie's mom) Chili Sauce. This is the best chili sauce I have ever had! Mom would make a batch or two every year in the fall, preserve it in pints and use it to top hamburger patties, for wonderful barbeque beef or in this fabulous sloppy Joe like sandwich.

Sloppy Joes (Nola's version)
1 lb lean ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 cup chili sauce (see recipe below)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When pan is hot, place hamburger and onions in skillet and brown, breaking meat into small chunks with a wooden spoon. When meat is browned, add salt and pepper to taste and stir thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients and stir till combined. When heated through, remove from heat and serve on buns.


Chili Sauce (Nana Hoffman)
16 large tomatoes
6 medium onions
6 medium apples (equal amounts of onion and apple)
2 tablespoons salt
2 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Grind tomatoes, apples and onions. Combine in a large stock pot. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining ingredients and simmer on low about 3 hours or until apples glaze. Makes about 4 quarts. (Process quarts about 30 minutes in a water bath.)

Hints: My mom would make a double batch of Sloppy Joe for our family of six. Of course my older brothers could plow through several sandwiches at a sitting when they were teenagers. If you don't have lean ground beef, be sure to spoon the fat off after browning. I am going to try this recipe with some of the elk meat my brother gave to me--I think it will be great. Mom used dehydrated onions at least one time when she made the chili sauce and it worked fine. She would chop the tomatoes and onions roughly, shred the apples with a fine blade rather than grinding. Pints process faster than quarts, I remember her processing pints for 20 minutes.

I have fond memories of my mom and Aunt Trudie making chili sauce together, using a very, very large pot. It must have been the result of  a tomato windfall in Bennie's garden. I also remember many good times with the Downs family. Once Kelly got Nana Hoffman to freak us all out by twisting her dentures backwards in her mouth with her tongue. We squealed and she laughed and continued knitting. What great times we had!  I thank you; Bennie and Nola, Craig, Brent and Kirk thank you, too. Hang in there Ralph! Hang in there Trudie!

More Snow Cone Syrups

Happy 4th of July! Or as my son-in-law says, "Happy 'Mer'ca Day." Here are two more snow cone syrups I have been using with my new ice shaver. These are also great as Italian sodas but you may want to have those on Italian Day--just saying.

Mandarin Vanilla Bean Syrup
2 cups sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
3 mandarin oranges
1 cup water
3 tablespoons white corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
Place sugar in a medium sauce pan. Split vanilla bean in half length wise and scrape the seeds into the sugar. Drop the pod in as well. Slice the oranges into 1/4 inch thick slices and add to sugar. Stir in water, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature. Remove vanilla pod and oranges slices. Place in a covered container and store in the fridge. 

Lemon Blueberry Syrup
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup blueberries
1 large lemon
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons white corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
Place sugar in a medium size sauce pan. Add blueberries to pan. Slice lemon about 1/4 inch thick and add to pan, removing seeds if possible. Stir in water, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often and mashing berries. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature and then pass through a fine mesh strainer, pushing berries through with the back of a spoon. Discard lemon and berry pulp. Place syrup in a covered container and store in the fridge.

Hints: I used fresh blueberries but frozen would probably turn out the same. Simple syrups are just water and sugar boiled with flavoring agents. The corn syrup to help prevent crystalization. Choose any flavor or flavor combo you can think of. I am going to try Kiwi soon and something with lavender. I have also been thinking about mint with peach or pear.

I'll let you know if I get a great flavor when experimenting and you do the same for me. Enjoy the fireworks today!
 

Balsamic Vegetable Phyllo Triangles

A working lunch happens fairly often. Taking a meeting or working on a project while noshing is nothing new. These savory triangles fill the need for fast and convenient yet healthy food. They keep well and are delicious warm or at room temperature. Or try them as an appetizer at your next party!

Balsamic Vegetable Phyllo (Filo) Triangles
1/2 pound of frozen filo sheets
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup sweet potato, 1/4 inch dice
1/2 cup red bell pepper, 1/4 inch dice
1/3 cup thin asparagus, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 tablespoons finely diced purple onion
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped Swiss chard
1 teaspoons kosher salt, plus some for sprinkling
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
Optional: 1/3 cup feta or Balsamic Bellavitano cheese
Thaw filo in the fridge for several hours or overnight. When veggies are diced and ready to go, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium high heat. Add sweet potatoes, cook and stir for 3 or 4 minutes or until they begin to caramelize. Stir in red pepper and continue cooking 2 or 3 minutes more. Add asparagus, purple onion, pine nuts and rosemary. Cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Add Swiss chard and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. When chard has wilted, stir in 1 teaspoon salt and red pepper flakes. Pour balsamic vinegar into pan then cook and stir until vinegar has been absorbed in the veggies, about 4 minutes.

 Put the olive oil in a small bowl. Place one sheet of filo onto a work surface, keeping other sheets under plastic wrap. With a pastry brush or your fingers, spread a bit of olive oil over the filo then top with another sheet. Spread oil on 1/2 of this filo sheet, lengthwise. Fold sheets in half lengthwise. Place about 1/4 to 1/3 cup filling on one end in a rough triangle. Top with 1  tablespoon cheese, if using. Fold into triangle shapes, like a flag is folded. Tuck ends in, place on an ungreased baking sheet, brush top with oil then sprinkle with some kosher salt. Repeat until all the sheets of filo are used. Place sheet in a cold oven and turn temperature to 350 degrees. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. If using the cheese, make sure to chill with in one hour. 

 Hints: The filo will dry out but not too quickly as you work with it. Keeping it covered will help with that. Use spinach if you don't have Swiss Chard. Dried rosemary would work but fresh is a bit better. You could substitute another herb such as oregano or thyme if you like. Use as much red pepper flakes as you want or leave them out altogether. The balsamic is lovely in this filling and I love it with the rosemary. These are pretty messy to eat but worth every crumb! This filling would also work in a yeast dough as a calzone or in pie crust dough as a savory hand pie.

I have made these with and without cheese. They are delicious both ways. It just depends on whether you want to up the protein or you want straight vegan fare. Try my recipe for spanakopita if you like these.

Snow Cone Syrups

I bought an ice shaver (snow cone maker) this year. I also purchased some of the flavored syrups that were marketed along side it. They were...OK...if you're a kid. They weren't great. Lots of artificial flavors and dyes. So here are a couple of healthier versions, still loaded with sugar so not actually healthy but all things in moderation, right? A snow cone can make the miserable heat a bit more tolerable. These syrups work well in sparkling water--add some cream for Italian Cream Sodas. Check out this post for two more flavors.

Strawberry Basil Syrup
2 cups strawberries, washed and hulled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
3 tablespoons white corn syrup
pinch of salt
In a medium size sauce pan, combine strawberries, basil and sugar. Mash with a potato masher until strawberries are broken down. Stir in water, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender container). Allow to come to room temperature. Place a mesh strainer over a bowl and pour syrup through stainer into bowl. Stir to help the syrup pass through the mesh. Discard any solids left in strainer. Store syrup in a covered container in the refrigerator. Serve with snow cones, Italian sodas, on crepes or ice cream.

Lime Ginger Syrup
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons white corn syrup
2 cups water
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger root
1 lime, sliced thinly
pinch of salt
Combine all ingredients in a medium size sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes then remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature, remove lime slices and chill in a covered container. Use for snow cones, Italian sodas or for punch.

Hints: The corn syrup will help prevent crystallization as the syrup chills. These syrups can be stored for 2 weeks in the fridge. You can choose how much syrup you use on the snow cones. I like to serve mine in a mug with a handle so that my hands don't get too cold.

I didn't like snow cones until this year. But when I went to the zoo with Sophie, Robert and Stella we shared one and then I saw the machine for sale and now I'm nuts about them! Next up I'm going to try a blueberry lemon syrup. I would love suggestion for new flavors...

Quinoa with Charred Kale and Peppers

Quinoa, kale, red peppers, purple onion, black beans all with a splash of lemon vinaigrette is so tasty that the health aspects are almost beside the point. Great served slightly warm, room temperature or chilled. A colorful, dynamic side for any grilled entree or serve as a main dish for lunch.

Quinoa with Charred Kale and Peppers
6 large kale leaves
1 large red bell pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1/3 cup diced purple onion
Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette
Turn on grill to medium high. Rinse kale and cut red pepper in half lengthwise, remove seeds and ribs. Rub oil on inside and outside of pepper. Drizzle remaining oil on kale. Place red pepper on grill, cut side up. Shut grill cover and cook for 3 minutes. Open grill and turn peppers over. Add kale leaves to grill. Close grill and cook for about 90 seconds. Turn kale and cook another minute. Remove veggies from grill, allowing them to cool enough to handle. In a serving bowl, mix quinoa, beans and onion. Roughly chop kale and red peppers, discarding large tough stems from kale. Add to bowl. Pour vinaigrette over all, toss and serve.

Hints: I don't peel the charred skin off the peppers, their flesh is still fairly firm but you could cook them longer to soften them up if you prefer that texture, in that case I would remove the charred skin. This would be a great time to use smoked salt instead of regular salt in the vinaigrette.

The charred, smokey taste is really great for a grilling party. My favorite thing about summer is all the great produce available. Enjoy yourselves this summer!

Grilled Curry Cauliflower

The Grill is out! Here we go...I grilled some sausages and cooked the cauliflower at the same time. Add a salad and there's dinner!

Grilled Curry Cauliflower
1 head cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Clean the cauliflower. Slice thru the whole head at 1/4 inch intervals. Break or cut into smaller pieces. Pour half the oil in a 8x12 inch disposable aluminum pan. Add the cauliflower and top with the remaining oil. Sprinkle the curry, salt and pepper on the cauliflower and toss. Place pan on a medium hot grill and close the lid. Cook for 6 or 7 minutes and then toss again. Cook another 5 minutes with the lid down. With tongs, place some of the largest pieces directly on the grill for 1 minute and turn to cook another minute. This will add some char to the dish. Return the charred pieces to the pan and serve hot.

 

Hints: If you have a larger head of cauliflower, use more curry powder (salt and pepper too). If the head is smaller, use less. Char the large pieces, the ones that won't fall thru the grill grate, then add back and mix into the rest of the cauliflower to spread the charred flavor.

Grilling is one of my favorite things associated with Summer. Doing a whole dinner quickly on the grill is a great way to maximize flavor gained and minimize time expended.

Dessert Tamales: Cherry Chocolate

Different in a very good way, dessert tamales for Cinco de Mayo! Cherry chocolate filling in cocoa dough with a flourish of ganache and chopped nuts--this is a very good way to celebrate! ( Click here for Oh-so-good Veggie and Chicken main dish tamales.)

Cherry Chocolate Dessert Tamales
Dough:
2 cups masa harina
1 cup cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups hot water
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup cold water
Mix masa harina and cocoa together in a bowl. Add vanilla to 1 cup of the hot water, then pour into the masa harina and cocoa, stir to mix. Add another cup of hot water and mix again. Add the remaining hot water if needed to form a stiff but pliable dough, similar in consistency to play dough. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes. Whip coconut oil, salt and baking powder with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer for 5 minutes. On a medium speed, beat in about 1/3 cup of the masa cocoa mixture along with 1 tablespoon cold water and 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar. Beat until thoroughly incorporated. Repeat process until all the masa cocoa and sugar is mixed in, using only enough water to keep dough loose. Whip the mixture on a higher speed for 15 minutes. Dough should be light and fluffy, about the consistency of butter cream frosting but not as smooth. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.

Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounces fresh or frozen dark cherries, pitted
Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small sauce pan. Stir in orange juice and salt. Add cherries and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 10 to 12 minutes or until cherries have broken down and mixture is very thick.

Assembly:
Cocoa masa dough
Cherry filling
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Soak 1/3 of an 8 ounce package of corn husks in very hot water for 10 minutes. Place about 1/4 cup dough in the center of a corn husk. Spread it out about 1/4 inch thick to 1/2 inch from sides and 1 1/2 inch from bottom. Spoon 1 tablespoon of cherry filling down the center and top with 4 chocolate chips. Pull sides of husks together and seal the filling inside by connecting the dough edges. Wrap the corn husks together and fold up the bottom. Set tamale upright in a dish then repeat with remaining dough and filling. Place tamales nearly upright on a bed of corn husks in a steamer and steam for 1 hour or until husks pull away easily from tamales. Serve warm with ganache (see Hints for recipe) and garnish with chopped pistachios or flaked coconut.

Hints: Get more tips for tamale making here. Beating the dough long enough to get it light is very important. Working with chilled dough is much easier. Wet your fingers as needed when spreading the dough. This is a hands on recipe. The filling will spill out if you don't keep the open end up when cooking. Make a nest with extra corn husks and prop one side of the group up by bunching the husks underneath. A simple ganache is made from 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips and 2/3 cup cream heated in a skillet over medium low heat until melted together, stirring constantly. The tamales can be cooked then chilled or frozen and reheated to serve. Use a steamer or a microwave to reheat. The cherry filling is great for empanadas or turnovers.

This is a fun way to serve the classic cherry chocolate combo differently. The corn flavor of the masa harina is strong and lends an earthiness to this lovely dessert. Gluten and dairy free (without the ganache, use a chocolate syrup instead), this dessert will appeal to nearly everyone at the party!