Welcome Springtime

As much as I love butternut squash, root vegetables and kale, I can honestly say that I am excited and ready for fresh Spring produce - asparagus, artichokes, avocados, peas, fava beans, potatoes, carrots, strawberries...
Here is my first Spring menu - a taste of what is soon to come.

Menu
Avocado and Grapefruit Salad
Spring Vegetable Sauté served over Brown Rice
Sugar Dusted Strawberries (see 02.09.10 blog entry)





Avocado and Grapefruit Salad
This very simple salad is effortless to make and yet utterly elegant. I sometimes like to forgo serving the predictable green salad for one without salad greens, like this one. However, for a more traditional salad, I toss in tender butter leaf lettuce, which pairs wonderfully with the tangy grapefruit and buttery avocado.

Plated Salad

Salad Tossed with Butter Leaf Lettuce

Serves 4

Ingredients

- 2 large pink grapefruits
- 1/2 teaspoon agave or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium ripe avocados (preferably Hass avocados)

Use a sharp knife to cut the top and bottom off of the grapefruit. Place on a cutting board and cut downward to remove the skin. Use a sharp paring knife to cut out the grapefruit segments, slicing between the membranes. Work over a bowl to catch the juice. Set the segments aside. Place 1/4 cup of the grapefruit juice in a small bowl. Add the agave or honey, salt and fresh ground pepper. While whisking, add the extra virgin olive oil. Set the dressing aside.
Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and peel off the outer peel. Cut the avocado into 1/2 slices and arrange on a medium size serving platter. Add the reserved grapefruit segments to the avocado. Drizzle with half of the dressing. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving. Add more dressing as desired.

Spring Vegetable Sauté served over Brown Rice
I found beautiful local Spring onions and green garlic at the store to go alongside some of my favorite veggies for this simple sauté. You can certainly substitute whatever seasonal veggies you can find at your farmer’s market or grocery store for this easy healthy dinner.


Serves 4

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 cups brown rice
- 3 cups water
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 5 spring onions or 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 green garlic stocks or 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 broccoli head, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 bunch asparagus, chopped into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 bunch Rainbow or Red Chard (about 10 cups), washed, chopped
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 1/3 cup pine nuts (optional)

In a medium saucepan combine the rice, water and 1teaspoon of salt. Bring to boil, stir once and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer with a lid for 50 minutes. After 50 minutes remove the pan from heat and let sit 10 minutes more.
In a large sauté pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and green garlic and season with salt and pepper. Sauté the mixture on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion and garlic are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the broccoli, season with salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes more. Finally, add the cherry tomatoes and chard, season with salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes more or until the chard is wilted and all of the vegetables are tender.
When the rice is finished cooking and has sat a full 10 minutes, fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper. To serve individual portions, scoop out a bit of rice and top with the hot vegetables. If desired, top each portion with a tablespoon or so of pine nuts.

Something Different

Warm Chickpea and Carrot Dip with Sprouted Wheat Chips
Vegetable Coconut Curry over Basmati Rice

My Italian taste buds are a bit partial when it comes to trying different types of flavors and other types of cuisines, even when I have a completely open mind. And I do try my best to expose those stubborn Italian taste buds to new flavors and foods, in hopes to expand my repertoire of meals and recipes. However, those Italians, they can be quite stubborn.
Anyhow, I have had many different delicious curry dishes in the past few years or so and have unsuccessfully cooked up a few curries myself. I remember one occasion in particular, when I made a whole spread of authentic Thai food, by carefully following a few recipes given to me by a Thai girl who was in my pastry class in culinary school. I am certain that there was nothing wrong with the recipes or the food, since everyone seemed to really like the meal – that is everyone except me. I don’t know what it was but I was absolutely nauseous, like a pregnant woman, and couldn’t eat a bite. The flavors and smells were just too overwhelming regardless of my “open mind,” regardless of my true desire to like the meal I had just spent hours preparing.
So, when last week, I randomly got the hankering to try my hand again at curry, I decided that it would be best for me to make a really simple, really mellow dish. This time I was pleasantly surprised with the end result – a sort of clean, basic, Mon Petit Plat, take on vegetable curry. With that said – perhaps this isn’t the most authentic curry in the world, but it is very delicious nevertheless and makes a wonderful warming meal.



Warm Chickpea and Carrot Dip with Sprouted Wheat Chips
Starting dinner with this healthy dip is a great way to add a bit of protein to this vegan meal.


Makes 4 cups

Ingredients

Sprouted Wheat Chips
- 6 sprouted wheat tortillas
- 1 teaspoon dried herbs
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Dip
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 fourteen ounce can garbanzo or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- pinch of cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Sprig of cilantro

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the tortillas in quarters and then cut each quarter in half. Arrange the tortilla strips on a large cookie sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the herbs, salt and pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until light golden brown and crisp.
To make the dip, heat the 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a medium pan. Add the onions and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the chickpea, cumin salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the garbanzo beans are warm. Transfer to a bowl and smash well with a fork. Add the carrots, lemon juice and olive oil to the smashed garbanzo beans. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and top with a sprig of cilantro. Serve warm with the Sprouted Wheat Chips.

Vegetable Coconut Curry over Basmati Rice
This curry is very simple - very basic.


Serves 6

Ingredients

- 2 cups white basmati rice
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 fourteen ounce cans whole coconut milk
- 3-4 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 small white sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 cups cauliflower, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cups fresh green bean, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro

In a medium saucepan combine the rice, water and salt. Bring to boil, stir once and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer with a lid for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the pan from heat and let sit 10 minutes more.
To make the curry, bring half of the coconut milk to a simmer in a large sauté or saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the curry powder and sea salt until completely dissolved. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes at a simmer. Add the remaining coconut milk and water. Bring the mixture back to a simmer; then add the sweet potato. Cook for 8 minutes; then add the cauliflower and cook 5 minutes more. Finally, add the green beans and cook until all of the vegetables are tender, about 5 more minutes.
Serve the warm curry over the rice and top with a few cashews and a sprig of fresh cilantro.

Crumbs

I really hate wasting food. So much so, that it is even hard for me to throw out the crumbs leftover in the bottom of the cereal box. However, I also have an aversion to starting my day with a bowl of soggy cereal dust. With dismay at these choices, I have decided to opt out of both and have come up with an alternative. Instead, I put the cereal crumbs in a small glass jar in my cupboard and continue to add to the jar until I have saved enough (2 cups) to make my new favorite - Cereal Muffins. This healthy whole grain muffin is your quick breakfast all rolled into one – cereal, milk, banana, orange juice…. All you’re missing is a cup of coffee.


Cereal Muffins
These moist, hearty muffins are a great way to make something out of nothing – cereal crumbs that would have been tossed away turn into a perfect on the go breakfast or snack. It is also a great way to use up any leftover nuts or dried fruit in the pantry.


Makes 12

Ingredients

- 2 cups whole grain cereal
- 1 1/2 cup soymilk (or substitute low fat milk) 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup mashed ripe banana
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 cup dried fruit
- 1 cup toasted nuts

Preheat the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 12 muffin tins with canola oil. Combine the cereal with the milk and let sit for 10 minutes.
Stir the brown sugar, mashed banana, canola oil and vanilla extract into the moist cereal. Stir in the dry ingredients (flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg). Gently stir in the orange juice. Gently fold the dried fruit and toasted nuts into the muffin batter. Fill the muffin tins just to the top of the muffin rim. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until the tops are slightly crisp and golden brown. Let the muffins cool for 1 minute in the pan. Use a butter knife to turn each muffin on its side to cool completely, or transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. These muffins will keep covered for up to 4 days.

Roasted Beets

Beets have a very distinct flavor that certainly doesn't appeal to all, but dislike of this sweet root vegetable is likely because it overpowered a dish as the showcased ingredient (as with borscht), instead of working as part of a dish, complimenting other flavors as well as its own. As with all vegetables, fresh and in season is a distinctly different species than the canned variety, and unfortunately many of us are first exposed to the latter of the two. Roasting beets in a hot oven brings out their natural sugars which caramelize and concentrate and ironically mellow their pungent flavor. If you aren't totally convinced, try golden beets, which I find to be a bit more mild in flavor than their darker red cousins. (And not quite as messy either.)
These two recipes exemplify how beets can compliment a dish instead of overpower it.

Crostini with Golden Beets and Walnut Parsley Pesto
Wheatberry Salad with Roasted Beets, Grapefruit and Walnuts



Crostini with Golden Beets and Walnut Parsley Pesto
The different flavors in this two-bite appetizer compliment each other exceptionally well. The sweet roasted beets are balanced perfectly with the bit of bitterness from the fresh parsley and raw garlic in the pesto. I use fresh local walnuts that make all of the difference in this simple dish.


Serves 4

Ingredients

- 5-6 small golden beets
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Crostini
- 1/2 of a french baguette
Pesto
- 1/2 cup walnut halves, lightly toasted
- 3/4 cup loosely packed fresh leaf parsley (about half of a bunch)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pinch of fresh ground pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. To make the crostini, slice the baguette at an angle about 1/3 inch thick. Arrange the bread slices on a large baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until light golden brown and crisp. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, fill a medium size saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Place the beets in the boiling water and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain the beets and let sit for 25 minutes; then peel the skins off of the beets. Cut into 1/4 inch slices and place on a sheet pan. Toss with the olive oil and season with the salt and fresh ground pepper. Roast the beets in an oven preheated to 400 degrees F until caramelized, about 35 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
To make the pesto, finely chop the parsley and walnuts, or place in a food processor and pulse until minced. Add the minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil. Taste for more salt and pepper and lemon juice, depending on the strength of the lemon.
To assemble the crostini place the toasted breads on a large serving plate. Top each a few slices of the warm beets and a tablespoon of the pesto.

Wheatberry Salad with Roasted Beets, Grapefruit and Walnuts
This hearty salad makes a wonderful side dish or lunch entrée served with mixed greens and avocado slices.

The beets changed the colors of the wheatberries in a matter of minutes.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

- 1 cup soft wheatberries, rinsed
- salt
- 8 small beets
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- fresh ground pepper
- 2 medium grapefruit
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon agave
- 1 tablespoon red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup walnuts halves, lightly toasted, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup (loosely-packed) fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

To cook the wheatberries, combine 3 cups of water, the wheatberries and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium size saucepan. Bring to a boil with a lid over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 50 minutes, or almost all of the liquid is absorbed and the grains are tender. (They should be cooked all the way through and be a bit chewy.)
Meanwhile, fill a medium size saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Place the beets in the boiling water and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain the beets and let sit for 25 minutes; then peel the skins off of the beets. Cut into 1/2 inch pieces and place on a sheet pan. Toss with the 2 teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Roast the beets in an oven preheated to 400 degrees F until caramelized, about 35 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
Use a sharp knife to cut the top and bottom off of the grapefruit. Place on a cutting board and cut downward to remove the skin. Use a sharp paring knife to cut out the grapefruit segments, slicing between the membranes. Work over a bowl to catch the juice. Set the segments aside. Place 1/4 cup of the grapefruit juice in a small bowl. Add the agave, a 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper. While whisking, add the extra virgin olive oil. Set the dressing aside.
When the wheatberries are tender, drain any excess liquid and place in a large serving bowl. Add the dressing and red onion and gently toss together. Let cool 10 minutes; then add the roasted beets, grapefruit segments, walnuts and parsley. Gently toss everything together. Taste for more salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.