Roasted Asparagus with Shitake Mushrooms

Do you want a recipe for a fantastic main dish that doesn't contain pasta or rice? "Wait! I need pasta or rice for this to be a meal!", you say? False. "How will the dish be complete?", you ask? I've been there. Just trust me on this.


You all know that I move shitake mushrooms. If you didn't know that, well... I love them. They're one of the most perfect foods out there, as far as I'm concerned. Mushrooms haters, back off. You're missing out and I don't want to hear it!



I made a few changes to this Bon Appetit recipe, but nothing substantial. This main dish (serves 2) is rich in flavor and completely filling when served with a salad or soup. You can also serve it as a side, if you'd like (serves 4). I had it as my main course with some Thai soup. Yum.

Ingredients

1 pound medium asparagus, tough ends trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
3.5 tablespoons butter
1 large shallot, minced
12 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoon dried tarragon + a bit more to sprinkle on the veggies, if desired
1 tsp dried Chervil
salt and pepper
Garlic Salt (optional)


Pre-heat your oven to 475. On a medium cookie sheet, lay out the asparagus and drizzle with the olive oil. Turn to coat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (I omitted the pepper.) Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until desired tenderness. (This dish tastes best when the asparagus isn't too limp.)

While that cooks, melt the butter in a large pan over medium-high heat and add the minced shallot. Cook for a minute or two and add shitake mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms have begun to release their juices. Cover, and cook 3 minutes more.

When the mushrooms are ready, add white wine and cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add dried herbs and garlic salt (sparingly, adjust to taste). Serve the mushrooms over the asparagus.

Enjoy! This dish smells so good cooking that your neighbors will beat down your door if they catch a whiff. OK, maybe that's an exaggeration. They'll wish they did though.

Happy eating!

Mushroom "Caviar"

I've been in a cooking/baking mood lately, but haven't spent a whole lot of time trying any new recepies. This is partly because I've been exhausted by the time I get home and partly because my appetite isn't what it usually is, with this record heat and the humidity. This past weekend, I was having some family over and wanted to make something new from scratch, but was having trouble finding something simple enough that still looked fun and different. Just when I was about to give up and buy some cheese and crackers (which we had anyways... of course!) I found this mushroom caviar recipe. Vegetarian, easy, delicious and versatile - this appetizer is a winner. I printed the recipe out but already gave it away to my Aunt by request, who absolutely loved it.

Hints of shallot, lemon juice and garlic give this the slightest tang, and the sour cream, mushrooms and pine nuts balance it perfectly. This dish has a creamy richness that is sure to please any mushroom lover.




Ingredients

3 Tbsp butter

1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean and finely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup of minced shallots

1 Tbsp dry white wine (e.g. Sauvignon Blanc)

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tbsp pine nuts

2 Tbsp sour cream

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

A couple dashes of cayenne pepper, to taste (I left this out)

Chop up all ingredients and set aside. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and shallots- cook about 5 minutes. Lightly salt and pepper as they cook.

While that's cooking, toast the pine nuts by putting them in a small, ungreased pan. Cook on high heat stirring frequently until they begin to brown. This happens very quickly- do not let them burn. Once toasted, remove from heat and place them in a small bowl to cool.

 

Add garlic and wine to the mushroom mixture. Cook about 1-2 more minutes and remove from heat, placing in a medium/large bowl. Allow to cool.

Once cooled (I was in a terrible rush and cooled it in the freezer which worked perfectly), mix in sour cream, lemon juice and parsley. The recipe recommends you chill it before serving, but it tastes wonderful when slightly warm.

 

Serve with crackers, cheese, toasted crostini, or whatever sounds good to you.

Enjoy!



Featured Veggie: Portabella Mushrooms

Portabellas are a perfect meat substitute in many cases, and taste great in pasta dishes, on sandwiches or just about any other way you can think of preparing them. On the off chance you've never tried them, portabellas have a richer flavor than regular white button mushrooms do and are easy to find in just about any grocery store. They are second to shitake mushrooms in my book, but they're a bit more versatile and cheaper, so they're still a major win.



Portabellas are often referred to and spelled as "Portabellos", but the Mushroom Council (yes, there is such a thing), states that the "a" spelling is actually correct. These mushrooms are simply larger versions of the crimini mushroom, older by only several days. Portabellas keep best in paper bags in the fridge.



Nutrition info:

1 serving of a portabella (86 g/1 cup) has only 22 calories, ZERO fat, 1g Fiber and 2 g protein. According to nutritiondata.com , they are also a good source of Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Iron, Magnesium and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper, Manganese and Selenium.


Here's another recipe I tried that was cut out of a magazine oh, 8 years ago or so. I'm such a slacker. I got this out of either Cooking Light or VegTimes magazine (not sure which!) and made a few minor adjustments.


Ginger-Sesame Glazed Portobello Steaks

4 garlic cloves, mashed
1 tbsp peeled and minced ginger
2 tbsp tahini
1/2 c  soy sauce
1/3 c toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tbsp  white wine
4 large portobella mushroom caps

1 tbsp sesame oil (for frying mushrooms)

In a large bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, tahini, sesame oil, brown sugar and wine. Stir well.

Add the mushroom caps, turning to coat them in the marinade, and allow to sit for 30 minutes, turning once or twice. I suggest trimming the stems off completely, so the mushrooms sit in the pan flat. Don't toss them though! Cook them on the side.

Heat the sesame oil (may use peanut oil) in a large pan and add the mushrooms. cook until tender and browned, about 6 minutes on each side. You may serve as-is, or slice the mushrooms into 1/4" thick pieces.

You may heat the reserved marinade and serve over some basmati rice as a perfect side dish. I also had some delicious lentils on the side.

Happy cooking!

Lentils with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Feta

Remember when I said I e-mail myself links to recipes all the time and have a treasure trove of ones I never got around to trying? Well, years ago I used to get VegTimes and Cooking Light, and would cut out the recipes I liked, saving them in a notebook. I went through some of those and found this lentil recipe which turned out delicious, and was pretty simple to make.

I found the original recipe in CookingLight, but here's a link with the same recipe, along with nutrition info.

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups dried lentils (picked and rinsed)
1/4 Cup sun-dried tomatoes (I used a bit more), packed in oil
1 Tbs oil from tomatoes
2 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Tbs white wine vinegar (I used rice vinegar instead)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 Cup crumbled feta cheese


In a large pot of water, add salt and lentils. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover, allowing to simmer until soft, or about 20 minutes.

While the lentils cook, mix remaining ingredients (except the feta) together in a small bowl.

When the lentils are ready, drain and rinse them. In a serving bowl (or directly in the pot, if large enough), toss in the tomato mixture.

Finally, add the feta.

This recipe is a great side dish and would taste great cold- perfect for a summer picnic or BBQ.

Happy eating!



Quinoa Tabbouli Salad

A hot summer day doesn't really call for my usual favorites such as cheese and pie, but rather cool and fresh salads, refreshing iced tea and cold desserts.

I was itching to try a new recipe, and tabbouli sounded pretty perfect. Fresh and healthy, it's a great dip/salad and super easy to whip up, especially if you have a food processor. Because I decided to make this while I was driving to the store, I didn't look at any recipe and just went with what I knew was in it, and decided to add some quinoa, instead of the cracked wheat/cous cous I've seen added before in some versions.

Ingredients

1 Cup Quinoa (uncooked)
3 large tomatoes
4 garlic cloves
1 large onion
3 bunches parsley
Lemon Juice (I used about 1/4 of the lemon, or approx 2 Tbs)



Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions and let cool. (2 parts water, 1 part quinoa, cook like rice.)

Chop up all the veggies, or use a food processor. Don't use a food processor for the tomatoes though, or they'll end up more like a sauce.

Chopped up parsley smells sooooo good!

Mix everything together and you're done!

Happy summer cooking!

Veggie Feature: Cauliflower!

Cauliflower is an underappreciated and often poorly prepared veggie. Most people only indulge in this white delicious treat when it's on a raw veggie plate and served with a massive amount of ranch dressing. I have to admit, though I've always like cauliflower, it's never been a big part of my diet. My Aunt Mary made some very similar to the recipe here this past Christmas, and it was so good that I plan to make it pretty regularly now.

Cauliflower is in the species Brassica oleracea, which also includes broccoli and kale. It comes in many different varieties (in orange, green or purple), all under four major groups which are Italian, Northwest European biennial, Northern European annuals and Asian.  

If you plan to try and grow cauliflower in your garden, keep in mind that it prefers cooler weather and 1" of water every 5-7 days. You can find a lot of information about growing this delicious veggie on this NS State University website.

Cauliflower keeps (in the fridge) raw for about 5 days and cooked about 3. How long something keeps is something that very rarely worries me, which I'm sure my brother can attest to. He just threw out my mustard which expired in 2009. Oops... (What can I say? I don't use a lot of mustard.) Still, it's worth mentioning.

Now to the parts most of you are probably wanting to hear about... what vitamins it has and how to cook it to make it taste amazing! Low in calories, this veggie has high fiber (8% DV), vitamin C (46%!) and potassium (9%) contents ( DVs based on a 1 Cup serving).

Cauliflower and Yellow Squash

3 Tbs butter
Juice of 1/2 lemon
medium head cauliflower
1 small/medium yellow squash
4 cloves garlic
dill weed to taste

Mince garlic and add to a large pan with 1 Tbs butter and enough water to cover the bottom of the pan about 3/4 (roughly 1/4 cup).

Cook uncovered until the water is almost completely evaporated.

Add cauliflower, squash and lemon juice. Add the remaining 2 Tbs butter (cut into pieces) and enough water to cover the veggies about 1/2 way. Sprinkle generously with dill (or to taste). Cook covered on medium-high to high heat for about 15 minutes, or until tender and the veggies have started to brown a bit. The water should be mostly gone by now, but you can drain what's left out if necessary.

Serve hot and enjoy!

What's your favorite way to eat cauliflower?

Parsnip and Carrot Mash with Feta

Today's veggie feature  is... the parsnip! Parsnips are a vegetable I had on a semi-regular basis as a kid, usually in stews and soups, but I'd never actually made them myself. As mentioned in a previous blog, I've been trying to think of topics to write about in between baking recipes that won't be super boring (or way too personal), and I think I'm going to try and feature one ingredient/food occasionally. I will include recipes that demonstrate an easy way to incorporate the food of topic into your diet/menu plan.



Food.com shows that parsnips have..

99 calories per cup

14% DV potassium

26% DV Fiber (woah!)

3% DV protein

0% Sodium and cholesterol!

A parsnip, cousin to the carrot, is a winter root-vegetable. In case you've never tried parsnips before, their taste can be described as similar to a carrot's, only with a bit of a kick to it. I've seen them described as mild turnips as well as sweeter versions of white carrots. Parsnips were a staple before the potato was introduced to many cultures and has since taken a seat on the sidelines.





You can cook parsnips anyway you would a carrot. Various sources suggest steaming them and then peeling their skins off instead of peeling first, to help retain nutrients. Packed with potassium, folic acid and fiber, this veggie is good tasting and good for you.


I saw a few parsnip recipes while poking around the web, including a couple for carrots and parsnips mashed together. The couple I looked at called for onions and/or herbed butter and sounded great, but once I'd seen the mashed option I was ready to experiment. I bought some feta, which I figured would be a great salty balance to the sweetness of the vegetables, and I was right. I must say, I'm pretty proud of the results I ended up with!

Parsnip and Carrot Mash (w/ feta)

Ingredients
*Serves 2-3

4 medium parsnips
4 medium carrots
1-2 Tbs Butter
3 oz feta (more for sprinkling, if desired)


Peel parsnips and carrots. Place about 1 Cup water in a large pot and add a steamer basket. (The silicone ones are the BEST!) Add veggies and cover. (The carrots seemed to cook slower, so put those underneath the parsnips, so they receive more steam.)


Like a potato, parsnips will begin to brown if peeled and left to sit. Be sure to peel them right before you plan to use them! If very large, it is suggested you remove the core of the parsnip, as it is bitter.



Cook on medium high to high heat for about 15 minutes, checking periodically after 10. The veggies should be cooked until soft, but not falling apart.




Once cooked, drain water and return veggies to the pot without the steamer basket. Add butter and feta, and mash well (using a potato masher).

Serve warm, sprinkled with more feta if desired.



This healthy, colorful dish is easy, fast and affordable. Make it a part of  your next meal and let me know what you think!

Happy eating!

Beech Mushrooms + Guest Post!

Kiersten has been nice enough to do another guest post, this time on is on a delicious quinoa salad. It actually coincides with what I made for dinner tonight... organic quinoa with organic spinach and beech mushrooms! I'm not sure I've had beech mushrooms before (I most likely have, since I'm all over anything mushroom related on menus) but I for sure haven't cooked them before.

Beech mushrooms have a bit of a bitter taste when raw, but sautee them in a small amount of butter or oil and the bitterness melts away into absolute deliciousness. Yum!

Now on to the guest post for today. (Can't wait to try this recipe!)

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Quinoa is a nutrient-rich whole grain from South America. A few years ago, my husband and I were on a quinoa kick and we'd make it at least once a week. At the time, I was still going to school and quinoa worked well for us because it was quick and easy. Since we're vegetarians, it has the bonus of being packed with protein and iron as well.

The thing I love most about quinoa is its versatility. It can be a full meal or it can be used as a side dish. It can be used in savory recipes or used almost like oatmeal in hearty breakfast porridges with nuts and dried fruits. This particular recipe, Quinoa and Pistachio Salad with Moroccan Pesto, is great because it brings sweet and savory together for something completely unexpected and different. This is definitely going into my favorites pile--it was one of those meals where, after it was over, I felt a little bit sad that the deliciousness had to end!

Quinoa and Pistachio Salad with Moroccan Pesto (Cooking Light, July 2009)

Serves 6 as side, 4 as main dish
1 red bell pepper
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
12 oil-cured olives, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup chopped pistachios

Preheat broiler. Cut red bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 12 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand for 10 minutes. Peel and chop.

Place quinoa, broth, 1/2 cup water, and juice in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Place cilantro and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine bell pepper, quinoa mixture, cilantro mixture, and olives in a large bowl. Sprinkle with nuts.

If you're not a fan of pistachios (or don't feel like shelling 1/4 cup of them), I think cashews would work well too. For those of you who like to do some prep work ahead of time, I'd make the pesto and roast the pepper the night before.

This salad would be great cold too--perfect for lunch the next day!

Jicama

Wondering what was on our menu for Mexican dinner + game night this weekend? Here ya go! (Everything listed is homemade, though not all by me.)

Guacamole
Pico de Gallo
Tomatillo Salsa

Jamaica
Sangria

Pork tacos
Chicken mole tacos
Veggie "gound beef" taco filling
Jicama
Refried black beans

Flan cheesecake
Rice pudding


Apparently, I'm one of the few people in Chicago who had no idea what jicama is. Jicama (aka Yambean) is a vegetable from Mexico and South America whose texture and taste is a cross between an apple and a potato. It's packed with fiber and vitamin C, so it's super good for you! Jicama has a lovely flavor on its own, but when simply garnished with lime jiuce and chili pepper is really takes on a whole new dimension.

Here are the super simple steps to making this dish. (Thanks for this, Derrick!)


Ingredients

Jicama
Fresh Limes
Chili Powder

First, peel the skin off the jicama and cut it into finger-like pieces.

 Put them into a large Ziplock bag. Next, squeeze the juice of several limes (enough to throughly coat the jicama) into the bag and shake it up. Allow to macerate for at least an hour or two.

Serve sprinkled with chili powder.

Sorry there isn't another picture... sevring dinner got pretty crazy!

That's it! These are great to munch on as a snack, too. (Though popcorn will still be my #1 choice for movie food.)

Refried Black Beans

Last Saturday, my friend Derrick and I hosted a dinner and game night for just over 20 friends. I had a last minute panic attack and felt there was something "missing". I love making Frijoles Negros con Arroz (black beans and rice) but the way I make it is Cuban style, and we were cooking all Mexican foods. Not wanting to stray from the theme, I instead decided to make a dish that I understand is popular in southern Mexico, refried black beans. I didn't follow a recipe here, but did look at a couple for ideas and info. They turned out REALLY good and they're super filling! We had enough food, but I'm glad we had them as back up, and to help complete our delicious meal. The next time you get stuck and aren't sure what to have as a side, give these a try!

Ingredients
*Measurements all based on personal taste and how many you'd like to serve.

Olive Oil
Black beans
Garlic
Onion
Cumin

This was the biggest can of beans, EVER!

Start by sauteeing the onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat, until the onions begin to appear translucent. Then add the beans (including the liquid from the can).

Continue cooking until the beans are hot, or about 5 minutes. Now, use a potato masher to crush them up well.

Continue to cook over low/medium heat until they thicken to the desired consistency, or about 30-45 minutes. I worried they were too watery (I didn't know how long it would take to thicken) so I made a roux out of flour and olive oil to help the process along. It was probably unnecessary, but it's good to know you can always fall back on it!

That's it! Serve as a side or on tacos or chips. Super easy, right?

Enjoy!

Shitake Mushroom and Spinach Rice

I went to Whole Foods the other day and got some organic spinach and organic shitake mushrooms. I needed to make something with these fresh ingredients, and since I was out of quinoa I opted for a rice dish. Have you ever made rice with vegetable broth instead of water? Until recently, I didn't even know you could. Not only is it delicious, but it's a great way to use up any broth you might have left over from another recipe. (I've never, ever used up that "last bit" before. Now I know how I can!)

I winged this recipe and definitely see room for improvement... but... it tasted really, really good. You really can't go wrong with shitake mushrooms. For those of you who don't like mushrooms to being with, well, I'm not sure you're completely sane. Heehe



Ingredients

2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup rice (any kind will do, but I used regular white)

5 Tbs butter (approximate, adjust to taste)
1/2 lb shitake mushrooms
2 garlic cloves
1 bundle fresh spinach (about 1/4 lb?)
1 Tbs flour
Sea Salt and Ground Pepper, to taste

Use low-sodium for a healthier version!

Begin by adding vegetable broth (use part water if you don't have enough, or for a milder flavor) and rice in a large sauce pot. Bring to a boil, and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until cooked. (See package for times.)

While the rice cooks, dice the garlic and chop up your mushrooms into medium pieces. Melt 2 Tbs of butter in a pan and add garlic. Sautee around 4 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Add mushrooms. 

Now take the other 3 Tbs of butter and melt over low heat in another pan. Once melted, gradually add the flour, constantly stirring to prevent burning. (This is a roux, used to thicked sauces.)

Briefly sautee fresh spinach (add about 1 tsp water to the pan) and put to the side.

This is where the "room for improvement" comes in. Shitake mushrooms do NOT release nearly as much juice as other mushrooms do. In fact, they barely released any at all. Given that, I will either not use the roux next time or try adding water or cream to the mushrooms after they've cooked a bit to have more of an actual sauce.

When the roux is ready, pour the mushroom mixture into it and mix thoroughly.

When the rice is done, toss in the spinach and add rice.

Serve and enjoy!

I actually added a bit more butter to my dish, since the roux made it a bit dry. This isn't exactly a healthy dish, but it's delicious all the same. Do you have any tips or trade secrets to share?