Monday

20

April 2015

Warm Beet and Walnut Salad

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Grains, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Nuts, Potlucks, Quick and Easy, Quinoa, Rice, Salads, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

It’s spring. But, here in L.A. it seems like the weather’s not sure what it wants to do. One week it feels like summer, the next, we’re back to our winter weather.

But, this salad can be eaten rain or shine.

It’s a simple one. And it goes kinda like this…

You start with a grain: Quinoa, brown rice, bulgur wheat, wild rice, or couscous.

You choose your veggies (any or all): Beets, carrots, greens, tomatoes (ok, technically a fruit), or summer squash.

Then you choose your add ins: Walnuts, almonds, raisins, apples, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds.

Fresh herbs are added: Parsley, basil, or thyme.

And you’re ready to eat!

Since we get beets year round here, we can eat this hearty salad whenever we want. I had golden beets on hand, but red beets would work well too.

I love the feeling of sunshine that golden beets bring to my kitchen. They’re such a happy root veggie.

Veggies are cooked in a skillet – easy! Beets are a pretty dense root veggie, so be sure to give them enough time to cook (20 minutes or so seemed to do the trick for me).

I love raw walnuts, so they were a perfect choice. Some raisins and apples added a bit of sweetness to the already sweet beets and carrots. Sweet, but not too.

For my grain, I chose quinoa. Packed with protein, it seemed like a great fit for a vegan dish.

Some quality olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon brighten and round out the dish.

The finished product is a warm salad. The beets warm the add ins slightly, while the add ins cool the cooked veggies. You could also refrigerate and eat it a few hours later.

Quick and easy to prepare, packed with nutrients and protein, this one was a hit at our house. Even Tim, who isn’t crazy about beets, thought it was really good.

Happy Eating!

Warm Beet and Walnut Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 3-4

Warm Beet and Walnut Salad

Ingredients

1 C water or vegetable stock
1/2 C uncooked quinoa (rinsed) (or couscous, wild rice, bulgur wheat, or brown rice with appropriate amount of water)
1 T olive oil
1 C golden beets (red beets would work great too), peeled and chopped
1 C carrots (or summer squash), chopped
to taste salt
to taste pepper
3 C greens (like spinach, chard, or kale), chopped
sprinkle cayenne
1 t fresh parsley, chopped (divided)
1 t fresh basil, chopped (divided)
2 T raisins, chopped
1/4 C apple, chopped
1 C walnuts, chopped
1/2 C pumpkin seeds (optional)
1 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice
lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa. Bring back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, or until done. (If using other grains, cook according to package's instructions.)
Heat a skillet over medium-low. Add olive oil. When the oil is hot add the beets through pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes (or until veggies are tender), adding greens after about 10-15 minutes (depending on type of greens - more tender greens will require less time to cook).
Remove skillet from the heat. Stir in half of the herbs (reserving the rest for topping), and then raisins through lemon juice, and cooked quinoa. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold, with a lemon wedge for squeezing over.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/warm-beet-and-walnut-salad/

Monday

13

April 2015

Vegan Tofu Fried Quinoa

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Grains, Leftovers, Lunch, Main Dishes, One Dish Dinners, Quick and Easy, Quinoa, Rice, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

We don’t eat a lot of meat. We enjoy it, but it’s expensive, and we’ve found that there are plenty of other ways to get enough protein in our diet. So the meals containing meat are few and far between, and we fill in the gaps with meals like this take on Fried Rice.

It starts with some seasonal veggies. Right now we’ve got greens like kale, chard, and mei qing choi. There are carrots, snap peas, and spring onions. And we’ve got the most delicious spring onions.

If you wanted to adapt this to suit another season, you could try some of these options:

Spring: Radishes, green beans, asparagus, fava beans, garlic scapes, or kohlrabi.

Summer: Zucchini/summer squash, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, or sinqua.

Fall: Beets, arugula, cabbage, celery, chard, fennel, or radicchio.

Winter: Broccoli, cauliflower, winter squash, bok choy, mustard greens, or daikon radishes.

No matter the veggies, it’s going to come together super quickly, so I’d suggest having all of the components ready to go before you begin cooking. Stir fry type dishes generally tend to cook over pretty high heat, which means they need to be stirred almost constantly. This doesn’t leave time for chopping up the next ingredients while the first ones cook.

I’d made some quinoa the day before, and used the leftovers in this dish. You could also use bulgur wheat, rice noodles, or regular brown rice (cook according to the package’s directions).

The quinoa takes the place of brown rice, since it has a bit more protein. The tofu mimics the egg, to make it vegan. I asked Tim if he could tell that there weren’t eggs in here. He said that it wasn’t noticeable.

Like a lot of things, I enjoy this served with a wedge of lemon to squeeze over top. The brightness that it adds is the perfect way to complete this dish.

Happy Eating!

Vegan Tofu Fried Quinoa

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4

Vegan Tofu Fried Quinoa

Ingredients

2 T oil
1 C snap peas (or green beans), strings removed, chopped
1 C carrots, chopped
1/2 C fennel (or celery), chopped
1 C onion, chopped
2 C greens, chopped
sprinkle ginger
to taste salt
to taste pepper
sprinkle cayenne
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 T soy sauce or gluten-free aminos
2 T rice vinegar
1 C quinoa (or bulgur wheat, brown rice, or rice noodles) (cooked)
7 oz. tofu (firm), drained and crumbled
1/4 C green or spring onions, chopped
1/2 to 1 C microgreens
lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Heat a wok, add oil over medium-high heat. Add snap peas through cayenne and cook for 3-5 minutes, turning constantly.
Add greens through microgreens (if microgreens are very delicate, wait to add them until 1 minute before you finish cooking) and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly.Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/vegan-tofu-fried-quinoa/

Monday

26

January 2015

0

COMMENTS

Bulgur Wheat with Sausage and Apples

Written by Rachel, Posted in Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Grains, Main Dishes, Meat, Pork, Quick and Easy, Rice, Sausage, Vegetables

I am a big fan of quick weeknight dinners. I’m all for slow-cooked, braised, take the whole afternoon to cook kinda meals. But, most weekdays I’m tired, there are dirty dishes in the sink, and I just want to eat something. Now.

This dish kinda has it all. It’s simple, but satisfying. Especially if you have some crusty bread with butter to go alongside. We did not, but maybe if I plan ahead for eating the leftovers we will. 😉

Bulgur wheat is one of my go-tos. It’s similar tasting to brown rice, but cooks quicker. Also, bulgur is a fun word to say. The dog is staring at my while I repeat it to myself right now.

I made this over the summer for the first time. I used zucchini. Since it’s winter and I had a bunch of carrots in my garden, that’s what I used this time. They went nicely with the apple-sausage combination I had going on. I think butternut squash or sweet potatoes would also taste great, if that’s what you have on hand.

While the bulgur cooks, the rest of the meal comes together. It’s a really quick and easy dinner to prepare. A little chopping, two pots, and you’re ready to go.

I added a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt and a splash of whole milk for creaminess. And the first time I made it, I added some parmesan cheese. I didn’t have any this time, but if I did, I’d definitely add it, so I left it in the recipe.

We will probably have the leftovers for dinner tonight, even though I haven’t figured out the bread situation.

Happy Eating!

Bulgur Wheat with Sausage and Apples

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 3 or so.

Bulgur Wheat with Sausage and Apples

Ingredients

1 C bulgur wheat (I used coarse) (could use brown rice or quinoa to make it gluten-free - adjust cooking time accordingly)
2 C water
1 T olive oil
1 C carrots* (or zucchini in the summer), chopped
to taste salt
to taste pepper
2 C apple, chopped
2 fully cooked sausage links (I used Argentine inspired), removed from casing (could substitute lentils to make it vegetarian)
2-3 T Greek or plain yogurt
splash whole milk (any kind you like - cow, almond, coconut...)
1/2 C parmesan, grated (optional)
lemon wedges, for serving
*butternut squash, pumpkin, mushrooms, corn, cabbage, onion, celery, leeks, spinach, or tomatoes would also be yummy additions. Cooking time may vary depending on the type of veggies used.

Instructions

Bring the bulgur and water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Reduce to a simmer and cook partially covered for about 15-20 min or so (or until tender).
Heat a pan, add the olive oil, and when it's hot, add the carrots, some salt, and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the apple and cook for about 5 minutes more. Add the sausage and cook for 5 minutes more, or until the sausage is heated through.
Stir in the yogurt, milk, and parmesan. Cook for 1-2 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
Serve with a squeeze of lemon.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/bulgur-wheat-with-sausage-and-apples/

Monday

15

December 2014

0

COMMENTS

Cabbage Rolls with Bulgur Wheat and Italian Sausage

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Grains, Herbs, Main Dishes, Meat, Pork, Sausage, Vegetables

I had my menu all planned for this week, but I caught a cold and the fridge is full of leftovers from two Christmas events from this past weekend, plus there’s an enormous cabbage that’s taking up the space that this week’s box is going to need, like right now. So, I pushed today’s meal to tomorrow, and used up as much of the cabbage as I could.

This is a take on cabbage rolls. I definitely love the more traditional cabbage rolls with rice and ground beef, smothered in tomato sauce. But, I had sausage and bulgur wheat on hand, so that’s what I used.

I had an Italian herb blend that I made up during the summer. It’s amazing what a little bit of work ahead of time can do to save time in the now. I use those herbs a lot. So much so that they’re almost ready to be replenished. I also used the last of the tomato sauce from this summer. It served us well.

After the onion, sausage, tomato, and herbs hang out in the skillet for a while, they’re ready to be wrapped in cabbage. To make the cabbage leaves easier to peel off, I cut out the core.

Some like to par-cook (partially cook) the cabbage so they’re softer and easier to work with. I didn’t. I set them in hot water for a minute or so, which softened them a bit, but let them still stay kinda crisp. Tim and I liked the end result. I asked him if he wished they were softer and he did not. If you prefer them softer, just boil them for a minute or more (depending on how soft you’d like them to be) before filling them.

Or, if you want a super quick meal, serve these in the raw cabbage like you would lettuce wraps. Mmmm lettuce wraps…

That tomato sauce that I mentioned, perfect with cabbage and sausage. I wish I had a crusty piece of bread to soak up all that was left in the pan.

Other variations that might be good: Ground chicken or turkey with grated carrots and chopped tomatoes. Ground beef and cooked spaghetti squash with tomatoes. Or, for a vegan version, substitute the ground meat for tempeh.

I used a regular green cabbage, but you could try napa cabbage, swiss chard, or collard greens too.

We have leftovers and not much room in the fridge. I may chop it all up, add some stock, and make it into soup for dinner tomorrow night!

Happy Eating!

Cabbage Rolls with Bulgur Wheat and Italian Sausage

Ingredients

2 C cold or room temperature water
1 C uncooked coarse bulgur wheat
2 T olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
4 Italian sausage links (the fully cooked kind), removed from their casings
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 T dried Italian herbs (basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, and rosemary)
to taste salt
to taste pepper
6-8 large green cabbage leaves (or napa cabbage, swiss chard, or collard greens)
2 1/2 - 3 C tomato sauce (see post for link to recipe)

Instructions

Bring the water and bulgur to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until to desired tenderness.
While bulgur cooks, heat a skillet, add 1 T olive oil. When oil is hot add onion and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sausage through pepper and cook for 5 minutes more (or if using not fully cooked sausage, cook until sausage is done). Add bulgur and stir to combine and remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9x13 oven-proof dish with remaining oil.
Submerge cabbage leaves in hot water for a minute or two (or par-boil until they reach desired tenderness). Remove from water and set on the countertop.
Divide filling between leaves. Roll up, tucking ends in if possible. Secure ends with a toothpick and place seam side down. Pour tomato sauce over rolls. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/cabbage-rolls-with-bulgur-wheat-and-italian-sausage/

Monday

15

September 2014

0

COMMENTS

Cheesy Chicken and Grapes with Rice

Written by Rachel, Posted in Braising, Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Grains, Kid-Friendly, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, Poultry, Rice

We don’t usually have a problem finishing off the grapes (or most any fruit that comes our way from Abundant Harvest Organics). We usually eat it raw. But, sometimes it’s super fun to try something new.

Like grapes with chicken and rice.

Oh yes I did.

It all starts with some thighs. I had a package of two, so that’s what I used. Add more (using a larger skillet) if your family needs more.

It’s seasoned simply, with cayenne and salt. This is gonna be a simple, humble dish, where the flavors really shine.

Shine chicken shine.

Go grape! Go grape! It’s grrrrrrrrrrrrape!

(I don’t know… Sorrynotsorry. I blame it on the Christmas music I’m listening to, in the 100 degree weather, to prepare for a concert in December… Not really. But, the heat makes my brain a little kooky.)

I made chicken stock the other day and then froze it. So, to quickly defrost the stock, I brought it to a boil. I don’t normally use hot stock when cooking rice (except when making risotto). So, you could use cold stock, if you’ve planned ahead and put it in the fridge overnight. I didn’t. Just adjust the cooking time as needed.

Once the stock + rice + chicken comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for a few minutes.

While these few minutes pass, halve and de-seed some grapes.

Eat them all.

Halve and de-seed some more.

Add the grapes to the skillet. Pick them off the top of the chicken, and stir slightly into the rice. Then cook for a good long while (you know, until the rice is done and the chicken is hot). You may need to add more liquid partway through, and stir every once in a while.

Is one of your favorite snacks crackers and cheese with grapes? Do you wait expectantly for fall to arrive, so you can eat this snack as often as possible?

I do.

So, why not add some cheddar to the mix? Right?!

It’s sprinkled on and popped in to the broiler for just about 3 minutes. It’s like a bazillion degrees in there, so it’s not gonna take long. Don’t leave the kitchen to go wash your hair while it broils. You may have a smoky situation on your hands if you do.

Also, you remembered to use an ovenproof skillet, right? I know you did. But, just making sure. ‘Cause if you decided to not use one AND wash your hair while it broils, well, that’d be just disastrous. Let’s avoid kitchen catastrophes when possible.

Once the rice is cooked, the chicken and rice all kinda brown a bit, creating this amazing sauce that I just want to soak up with a piece of crusty bread.

Apples go so nicely with grapes and cheese, so serve some (on their own, or in a salad) with this easy, comforting dish that welcomes fall (cough cough, seriously, fall, let’s do this now, enough with the hundred degree weather).

Happy Eating!

Cheesy Chicken and Grapes with Rice

Recipe Type: Dinner, Main Dish, Meat, Chicken, Fruit, Grapes

Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 96 mins

Total time: 1 hour 46 mins

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

2 T olive oil
2-3 chicken thighs
to taste salt
dash cayenne
2-3 C hot chicken or vegetable stock (or water)
1 C brown rice
1 C grapes, halved, seeds removed
1 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 apple, sliced, for serving

Instructions

Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add olive oil. When oil is hot, add chicken. Sprinkle with salt and cayenne. Sear on each side for 3 minutes.
Add 2 C stock, rice, and salt. Stir gently around chicken (make sure all rice is in stock, not on top of chicken). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Add grapes, and simmer, adding more liquid if needed, cooking until chicken reaches 180F and rice is to desired tenderness, about 45-50 minutes (cooking uncovered, until the last 20-30 minutes), stirring occasionally.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Top with cheese and broil for 3 minutes.
Serve with a side of apples.

3.2.1311

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Grains Archive

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Warm Beet and Walnut Salad

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13

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Vegan Tofu Fried Quinoa

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26

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Bulgur Wheat with Sausage and Apples

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15

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Cabbage Rolls with Bulgur Wheat and Italian Sausage

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15

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Cheesy Chicken and Grapes with Rice

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