Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

In my last post, I mentioned one of my food goals was to find an easy and delicious smoothie recipe. My thanks goes out to those who commented with recommendations.

The first one I tried was recommended by Marli, a friend of mine who is working in film and production. It is a great way to use up bananas before they go bad.

Ingredients (makes two 12-oz. smoothies)

• 1 banana (riper is better)
• 3 big spoonfuls of creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup milk
• 3 ice cubes

Directions

1. Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Be sure all ice cubes have been chopped.

Comments

I used a banana whose skin was almost completely covered by brown spots, indicating its sweetness. This made it easier to taste the banana flavor in the smoothie, instead of being overpowered by peanut butter.  (Thanks again, Marli, for the recommendation!)

2010 Food Goals

(image by danielflower)

Food Goal #1 - Make Julia Child's Beef Bourgignon

I'm sure many of you have seen the movie Julie & Julia, starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. One of the challenges Julie faces while attempting to make every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking is beef bourgignon. I'm not a big fan of beef but it seems like a fun challenge, especially after watching what happened in the movie!

Food Goal #2 - Make Borscht

It's one of those things I've always wanted to try, and as of this week I can check this off my list! I'm not a fan of cold soups so I served it hot, and actually really enjoyed it. Recipe to come soon.

Food Goal #3 - Find an easy and delicious smoothie recipe

I love the idea of smoothies - fresh fruit, yogurt, maybe some honey or ice - but have yet to find a recipe that feels easy. Part of it is that I'd like to use ingredients I normally keep around. No weird protein powders for me. Perhaps I just haven't looked hard enough?

Food Goal #4 - Make my own yogurt

My friend Jen posted a recipe for homemade yogurt back in January and I have been waiting for some time to really try it out. I think August will be that time!

Food Goal #5 - Find local sources for beef, chicken, eggs, and cheese

After seeing the documentary Food, Inc. and reading books like Animal, Vegetable Miracle (by Barbara Kingsolver) and Eating Animals (by Jonathan Safran Foer), I've been a lot more conscious about many of the ingredients I purchase for meals. Barbara Kingsolver's book was her record of their family's challenge to eat only locally produced foods for one year. For them, this included growing their own vegetables, raising their own turkeys, learning to make their own fresh mozzarella, or purchasing foods from sources within 100 miles. 

Beef and chicken - still working on these. Any suggestions?

Eggs - currently purchasing them from the local Mennonite farm stand on Route 7 in Bainbridge, NY. Not sure where I'll go when they close for the winter season.

Cheese - I believe the Masonville General Store in Masonville, NY carries cheeses made local to the area. I know for sure they carry locally made yogurt and fresh local vegetables. I will report back on my findings.

A great general source for locating products local to you is Local Harvest. Additionally, Kingsolver's site provides recipes for eating produce at its freshest - when they are in season.

What are some of your food goals or interests this year?

Peach Mango Crostini

The other day, Dan the Man and I headed to the store for inspiration. We decided to purchase whatever produce looked good to us and would figure out something to make with it.

The result: a snack dinner involving fresh fruit and cheese. It was too hot to eat a heavy meal so I was pleased with the outcome: a cute topping (each ingredient was chopped into small cubes) and a bright taste that I really enjoyed as a summer snack.

You can refer back to my post on Brie, Pear, and Brown Sugar Crostini for a clarification on bruschetta vs. crostini if you'd like a refresher on your Italian vocabulary.

Any fresh bread will work for this. My favorite for crostini is baguette, but good French bread will do (that's what you see in the picture), as will the wider Italian bread in a pinch.

Ingredients

• 1 peach, chopped into small pieces
• 1 mango, chopped into small piece
• 5-7 fresh mint leaves, chopped finely (fresh basil would also work)
• 8 oz. ball of fresh mozzarella, chopped into small pieces
• loaf of baguette, French, or Italian bread, sliced into desired size pieces

Directions

1. Mix peach, mango, mint, and mozzarella in a bowl. Let sit for at least 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
2. Spoon onto bread slices.
3. Optional: Place crostini on cookie sheet and broil for 1-2 minutes, just enough for mozzarella to melt.

Comments

The peach flavor stood out more than the mango did; you could add another mango if you wanted it to be the dominant flavor. I would also recommend cutting each bread slice in half if you want the crostini to literally be bite-sized, which would make them a little neater to eat.

We ate this primarily as is (fresh), but also tried a few warmed and the mozzarella was delicious. The heat also made the peach flavor sweeter. I'd definitely recommend these warmed!

Blueberry Almond Muffins

I have a huge weakness for berries! All the berries at the local open market are looking gorgeous and are on sale before their two-week vacation so I scooped up a quart of blueberries and have finally been able to test out this recipe, an adaptation from  Fruit: Recipes for Lunch, Brunch, Desserts And More. I always buy more fruit than a recipe calls for because of my, ahem, need to test berries for freshness.

Ingredients (makes about 18 cupcake-sized muffins)

• 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour (unbleached)
• 1 3/4 c. almonds, ground finely in food processor (equals about 1 1/2 c. ground)
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ginger
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1 c. buttermilk (see note below)
• 1 egg
• 4 Tbsp. butter, softened (1/2 stick)
• 2 c. fresh blueberries (about 1 pint)
• cupcake papers/liners

 Note: Rather than buying buttermilk, you can pour 1 tsp. lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup and fill to the 1-cup line with milk. Let stand for five minutes, and use as buttermilk in this recipe.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine flour, almonds, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix well, then add sugar.
3. In a smaller mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, and butter. Beat or mix together thoroughly.
4. Add liquid mixture to flour mixture and stir well.
5. Gently fold in blueberries. 
6. Spoon mixture into cupcake liners until about 3/4 full. 
7. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
8. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before enjoying.

Comments

While baking, these looked like little blueberry volcanoes! I loved the subtle texture from the ground up almonds and the sweet of the blueberry topped with a pat of butter.

Two cups will definitely maximize the blueberry experience, but it is important to note that more blueberries mean less batter, keeping your muffins from getting too tall. If you choose to reduce the blueberries to 1 1/2 cups you might get a more traditional textured muffin. You could also completely replace the berries with any other small berries of your choice. My brother-in-law is encouraging me to try these again with raspberries.

Avocado and White Bean Sandwiches

My secret: I've been baking a loaf of bread every day this week. Out of my new cookbook, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, I've made the most beautiful baguettes without having to proof or knead the bread. 

This recipe features two things: great bread and a great avocado. If you don't make your own bread, be sure to buy a fresh loaf the day you plan to make these.

The recipe is inspired by this one from Real Simple.

Ingredients (makes 2 sandwiches)

• 15 oz. can of white kidney beans, rinsed and mashed
• drizzle of olive oil (1-2 tsp)
• 5-6 shakes kosher salt (less if using table salt)
• 3-4 shakes freshly ground pepper
• juice of 1/2 lemon (or 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice)
• small baguette or loaf of artisan bread, sliced for sandwiches
• mayonnaise (optional)
• 1/3 cucumber, very thinly sliced 
• 1/2 Hass avocado, sliced 
• 1/4 red onion, sliced

Directions

1. Dump beans into flat bottomed bowl and mash using potato masher or fork. Add olive oil, salt,  pepper, and lemon juice and mix well.
2. If using, spread mayo onto one piece of baguette/bread. Spoon bean mixture onto other piece of bread and smooth down.
3. Top with cucumber, avocado, and onion. Add a shake of salt or pepper and enjoy!

Comments

Because of my avocado allergy, I had a much different sandwich. Mine consisted of the bean mixture with cucumber and onion, sans mayo, and I found it quite delicious. However, Dan insisted his tasted better, noting that the red onion flavor came through really well and the cucumber added a nice crunch.  I think white kidney beans were the best for this meal, although it would be interesting to try with white navy beans.

Indian Burgers

This meal was based on another great recipe from Penzey's, submitted to their catalog by Melinda Peters.

This is a great recipe if you're looking for something to mix up a normal burger. The curry flavor is very subtle and smells great while cooking.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 slice onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. cilantro
• crunchy peanut butter, for topping (optional but recommended)
• hamburger rolls

Directions

1. Heat frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion for 2-3 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another minute. Pour onion and garlic into a medium-sized bowl and leave pan on the burner.
2. To the onion-garlic mixture add beef, curry powder, and cilantro. Mix together well and form into patties.
3. Cook patties to your liking. With about three minutes left in cooking time, add a spoonful of peanut butter to the top of each burger and allow it to melt.

 Comments

The idea of peanut butter on a burger sounded pretty strange but tasted really good. With the peanut butter topping, the meal was pretty filling. We enjoyed the burgers with cole slaw.

Pinto Bean Chili

This entry is my praise for beets. No, keep reading! Most people who dislike beets have based this judgment on their experience with canned beets, which are far removed from the actual fresh root vegetable. Fresh beets, when cooked, taste a lot like carrots - they are a touch sweet and taste lovely with a little salt. 

I've never seen golden beets in the store, but regular beets are just as beautiful, with deep purple rings inside. The beets really make this recipe stand out, so I encourage you to include them if you can find them at your local farmer's market or farm stand.

Included are a few photos of the gorgeous golden beets I used in this chili recipe!

I must thank Sarah + Ryan, my friends who sent me a beautiful shipment of fresh organic fruits and veggies after my surgery. It really inspired me to cook again, especially since the shipment came with a recipe to use the vegetables included in the package! I worked from this recipe, which came from the Fruit Guys.

Ingredients

olive oil

1 Vidalia (yellow) or white onion, chopped

2 tsp chili powder

2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into small pieces

2 medium beets (golden or regular), peeled and cut into small pieces

2 medium tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped (I used vine ripened)

1/2 cup salsa

1 medium zucchini, ends removed, quartered lengthwise, and chopped into small pieces

1/2 bunch collard greens, stems removed and roughly chopped

2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

zest of 1/2 orange, grated

salt and pepper, to taste

sour cream or cheddar cheese for topping, optional**

**Leave this ingredient out for a completely vegan meal.

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in stockpot over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and saute until onion starts to brown, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add chili powder and stir for another 1 minute.
4. Add broth, yams, and beets. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until beets and yams are almost tender.
5. Add zucchini, collard greens, tomatoes, and salsa. Recover pot and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
6. Add pinto beans. Simmer, uncovered, until chili starts to thicken a little and yams and beets are very tender, about 15 minutes.
7. Add orange peel, salt, and pepper.
8. Serve topped with a dollop or sour cream or sprinkling of cheddar cheese, if desired.

 Comments

This turned out to be more like a ratatouille than a chili, in my opinion. However it was delicious, not too spicy, and tasted great with the marble rye bread we served with it. I'm sure you could spice it up by using a hotter salsa or letting each guest season it to their taste with Tabasco sauce.

Chickpea and Pita

Imagine one or more of the following scenarios:

1. It is 90 degrees outside.

2. It has been 90 degrees for several days in a row, all before the month of June has begun.

3. The thought of turning on any part of your oven/stovetop makes your brain melt.

What can you eat that is tasty, healthy, and (hopefully obviously) not made from opening a cardboard box?

Answer: see below.

Inspired by a recipe I found in Real Simple magazine a long time ago! One of my very favorites.

Ingredients (to feed 2)

• 14 oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed
• 1 tub hummus, any flavor
• 1 package of pitas
• 1 medium tomato, sliced or diced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• plain yogurt (optional)

Directions

1. Spread hummus onto a pita.
2. Dress with chickpeas, tomato, and onion.
3. Top with plain yogurt, if using, and a squirt of fresh lemon juice.

Comments

Alterations could be made simply by adding whatever veggies or spreads you want! You could also jazz up the plain yogurt by making it into tzatziki sauce by adding in diced cucumber and some lemon juice. Other tasty additions to the dish could include fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped up. My brother-in-law experimented by replacing the hummus on one of his pitas with tahini (sesame butter), which he enjoyed.

the Red Curry Challenge

Today I found this amazing recipe on The Tasty Kitchen and immediately brought it home to make. However I ran into a problem that poses a question I must work around somewhat frequently: How do you cook ethnic cuisines when living in an area without adequate supplies? 

I intended to try the recipe exactly as it was printed, but neither grocery store in the area carried sweet Thai chili sauce (okay, this is understandable) or flat rice noodles. Seriously? My pathetic Italian heart was broken. 

Rather than giving up, I asked the omniscient Internet for assistance. By using a couple recipes for food and method replacement inspiration, I was able to come up with the delicious Red Curry you see before you. 

Don't mind all the julienning - it just refers to long, skinny pieces so the vegetables cook fairly quickly and carry the flavorful sauce on them. Enjoy!

Ingredients (serves 5)

• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 1 hearty Tbsp red curry paste
• 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 large chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 onion, julienned
• 1 red pepper, julienned
• about 1 1/2 cups carrots, julienned (I used baby carrots)
• 1/2 cabbage, julienned (I used a Savoy cabbage)
• salt and pepper
• rice (2 1/2 cups dry rice would be enough to match the amount of veggies)

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Heat a large pan to medium-low heat. 
3. Scoop the solid coconut milk out of the can and add to pan.
4. Add in red curry paste and freshly grated ginger. Stir well.
5. Add chicken. Cover and cook until chicken is done.
6. Add onion, red pepper, and carrot. Cover again and cook until red pepper has lost a bit of its crunch (5 minutes or so).
7. Add cabbage, stir well, and cook uncovered for another 3-5 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and transfer to a big serving bowl if you have one. Let sit for about 5 minutes, giving it time to thicken.
9. Serve on rice, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Comments

The process was much easier than I thought, and the final product was very good although I might try adding a little more curry paste next time as I enjoy spicier things. I enjoyed the creaminess of the coconut milk that carried throughout the dish and the fact that the cabbage was just a little crunchy. Next time I might add a little salt at the beginning when adding the curry paste - it would be easier to taste if it's enough, although my guests were happy to salt their own dishes.

This dish could easily be made vegetarian by replacing the chicken with tofu or another vegetable protein. It is naturally dairy-free and gluten-free (red curry paste is gluten-free).

How to Finish a Tub of Plain Yogurt

So you bought a big tub of plain yogurt because of the beautiful packaging (hello Stonyfield Yogurt!!) and now have no idea what to do with it. Okay, I bought a 32 oz. tub of plain yogurt, and rather than letting it go to waste, I had to brainstorm.

Unlike flavored yogurts like vanilla or strawberry, plain yogurt is a bit sour and is perfect for adding a creamy tang to certain dishes. Regular plain yogurt is different from Greek style yogurt, so I don't know that you could replace one for another.

Three ways to use up plain yogurt:

• Add a dollop onto an Indian curry or soup (I made a vegetable and lentil soup with curry and other Indian spices, and we topped each bowl with yogurt)
• Make buttermilk style waffles, replacing the buttermilk with plain yogurt and then thinning out the batter with 1/2 - 3/4 cup milk as needed (The yogurt adds a subtle tang which pairs well with the sweetness of the syrup, and the dish is lower in fat)
• Have a falafel party and make your own tzatziki sauce (plain yogurt, diced peeled cucumber, a little lemon juice, and some chopped fresh parsley if you've got it) to top the pitas.

If you'd like me to elaborate on any of these recipes, let me know!