De Ma Cuisine

Broccoli Archive

Monday

13

April 2015

0

COMMENTS

Vegan Tofu Fried Quinoa

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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

  1. Heat a wok, add oil over medium-high heat. Add snap peas through cayenne and cook for 3-5 minutes, turning constantly.
  2. 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.
  3. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/vegan-tofu-fried-quinoa/

Thursday

26

March 2015

0

COMMENTS

Chicken Noodle Soup

Written by , Posted in Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Kid-Friendly, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, Pasta, Poultry, Soups, Vegetables

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I know that Chicken Noodle Soup is one of those meals that’s made when someone feels under the weather. But, I want to enjoy it any day. It’s just so good.

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It starts with some chicken that’s cooked in a bit of olive oil. The skin gets all crispy and the inside tender and juicy. It takes a while, just be patient. Once the chicken is cooked, it rests for a bit, and gets cool enough to handle. And those crispy bits on the bottom of the pan, they’re on their way to make this soup simply divine.

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A little butter and oil is added to that same pan. No washing out required. The bits at the bottom will loosen as you stir the veggies and help make the broth a deep, rich brown.

Back to the veggies for a sec – there are tons of ’em. Fennel, carrots, kohlrabi, greens, cauliflower… and even more that you could add, depending on what you have on hand (check out the recipe for more). If you’re using this as an under the weather helper, it’s perfect because it’s packed with nutrients. If you’re not, well, it’s great for the same reason. 😉

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The veggies are cooked covered, for about 10 minutes. They just need to sweat it all out. No big deal.

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Once they’re ready, the chicken, which has been shredded, is added, along with the stock.

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I like to cook the pasta separately. I have a hard time making the right amount of food for just two of us, so this way I can save the leftovers for another day without worrying that the pasta will absorb all the liquid and become a soggy, mushy mess. If you’re going to eat it all in one sitting, feel free to cook the pasta in the soup (you may want to add a bit more stock).

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The pasta is divided into the bowls and topped with some soup for a hearty and delicious meal.

Happy Eating!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 7 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 17 minutes

Yield: 4

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 T olive oil
  • 3-4 chicken drumsticks (or 2-3 thighs, or 1 breast) (ending up with about 1-2 C cooked and shredded meat)
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1 T butter
  • 1 t olive oil
  • 1 C fennel (any part), chopped
  • 1 C cauliflower, chopped
  • 1 C carrot, chopped
  • 1 C onion (or shallot or leek), chopped
  • 1-2 C greens (kale, collard greens, chard etc), chopped
  • 1/2 C turnip (or rutabaga), chopped
  • 1/2 C radish, chopped
  • 1/2 C kohlrabi, chopped
  • (could also add celery, broccoli, parsnip, summer squash, bell pepper, peas, green beans, beets, asparagus, or mushrooms)
  • 3 cloves garlic, diced
  • 1 T balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 t each dried (or 1/2 T fresh) rosemary, thyme, basil, and parsley (or replace all four with tarragon, dill, and parsley)
  • pinch each cayenne, ginger, and paprika
  • 6-8 C stock (vegetable or chicken)
  • 1 C pasta (any kind)
  • 1 T butter
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • lemon slices, for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add 2 T olive oil. When oil is hot, add chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for about 30-35 minutes (for drumsticks), or until internal temperature reaches 180F, turning every 5 minutes or so.
  2. Remove chicken from soup pot and let cool slightly on a paper towel lined plate. Return soup pot to the heat, add 1 T butter and 1 t olive oil. Add fennel through kohlrabi, stir to scrape browned bits off the bottom of the pan, and cook covered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add balsamic vinegar and deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom, about 1 minute.
  3. Add seasonings and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  4. Cook pasta in boiling salted water. Drain.
  5. Remove soup from heat, stir in 1 T butter and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  6. Divide pasta between 4 bowls and top with soup. Serve with a lemon wedge for squeezing.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/chicken-noodle-soup/

Monday

9

March 2015

3

COMMENTS

Almond Butter Stir Fry

Written by , Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Nuts, One Dish Dinners, Pasta, Quick and Easy, Quinoa, Rice, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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Stir Fry is one of those dishes that’s packed with flavor, nutrients, and is ready in a flash. Perfect for those tired nights when you don’t know what to make for dinner.

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There’s just something about the colorful veggies. Purple cauliflower, bright orange carrots, green broccoli… they’re such happy and friendly colors. You could totally switch up the veggies depending on what you’ve got on hand and what’s in season. Sugar snap peas, bell peppers, onions, and green beans would all be fabulous.

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I like to add nut butters to bump up the protein in a dish, especially if I’m opting to keep it vegetarian (which I did for this dish, but you could definitely add meat, or keep it vegetarian and add some pan fried tofu). Also, I just like the taste. Today I used almond butter. It’s not quite as in your face as peanut butter is, yet it still brings the same nutty yumminess.

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The sauce is whisked together before the veggies go in to the wok. Since they are cooked over fairly high heat, stirred almost constantly, and cook quickly, I don’t want to take chances with anyone burning while I whisk up the sauce.

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They cook so fast that the veggies still retain their bright, beautiful colors.

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Sauce is added and will just cook for a minute or two.

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I like to toss the noodles (or rice or quinoa) with the veggies and sauce. That way I can make sure that they all get nice and coated.

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And then it’s ready to be topped with almonds and some lemon juice. You could absolutely add chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and cilantro too.

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I like using rice noodles with Stir Fry. Some don’t even require any cooking – they just warm up in a bowl of hot water. They stand up great to re-heating the next day too. Rice or quinoa – also great. Or how about fried rice? Yum! Or, how about rice noodles with a fried egg on top?! Now we’re talking… Of course it was great just the way I made it – topped with almonds and a good squeeze of lemon.

Happy Eating!

Almond Butter Stir Fry

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4

Almond Butter Stir Fry

Ingredients

  • 1/4 C almond butter
  • 1 t honey
  • 3 T to 1/4 C water
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • 1/2 to 1 T liquid aminos (or GF soy sauce)
  • 1/8 t ground ginger
  • 1/8 t ground coriander
  • pinch cayenne
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1-2 C broccoli, bite sized pieces
  • 1-2 C cauliflower, bite sized pieces
  • 1 C carrots (or celery), sliced on a bias
  • (sugar snap peas, bell peppers, onions, green beans would also be great)
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1-2 C greens (or cabbage), chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • lemon slices, for serving
  • almonds, chopped, for serving
  • rice noodles, rice, or quinoa, for serving
  • fresh herbs (chives, cilantro) (optional), chopped, for serving

Instructions

  1. (Optional: Cook rice or quinoa, if serving one of those with the dish. Cook a protein, if desired.)
  2. Whisk together almond butter through cayenne. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  3. (If using rice noodles, follow instructions on package and cook/warm now.) Heat a wok or large skillet over medium or medium-high heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add broccoli through pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly. Add greens and garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes more. Stir in the sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes more. (Optional) Toss with rice/quinoa/rice noodles if desired and cook for 1 minute more.
  4. Serve topped with a squeeze of lemon and almonds, and fresh herbs, if desired.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/almond-butter-stir-fry/

Friday

6

March 2015

2

COMMENTS

Kohlrabi Stew

Written by , Posted in Beans, Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Legumes, Lunch, Main Dishes, One Dish Dinners, Potatoes, Soups, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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This is a humble meal. I like to think of it as peasant food. It begs for bread that’s hot from the oven, torn rather than sliced, topped with a good amount of butter. Peasant food, or comfort food. Or just good food. Doesn’t really matter what label you put on it.

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It contains simple ingredients like kohlrabi, mizuna, and garbanzo beans. You could play with the recipe if you need to, depending on what you’ve got in your fridge. Sweet potatoes in place of the carrots, cabbage in place of the mizuna, or cannellini beans in place of the garbanzo beans. You could use Greek yogurt instead of the ricotta, or leave the dairy out all together, to make it a vegan dish.

Whatever suits you.

But, for me, I’m gonna lock this one down and keep it just the way it is.

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The garbanzo beans add texture, protein, and a creamy beanie goodness.

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I have a drawer-full of lemons in the fridge. They brighten like nothing else (except maybe limes).

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For a soup, or a stew, whatever you want this to be, the flavors develop quickly, and there’s not a lot of cooking required. It’ll be in your bowl in about 43 minutes.

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If you can help it, don’t skip the ricotta or a drizzle of really good quality olive oil. They really made the dish, for me. Plus, that parsley, yep, do it!

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I really don’t know if peasants would have eaten this. But, I picture a cozy family dinner, roasted meat, stew made from things they’ve grown on their land, with their own hands. There’d be a fire in the fireplace and the biscuits would be passed around the table, to be eaten with a dollop of fresh butter and homemade jam. Maybe that’s what we will do tonight. Or, maybe we will eat it while watching something fun on Netflix, since we don’t have a fireplace or any meat that’s meant to be roasted. I do, however, have my garden boxes all planted. Maybe in a few months I will be making stew from things that I’ve grown.

Happy Eating!

Kohlrabi Stew

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 28 minutes

Total Time: 43 minutes

Yield: 4

Kohlrabi Stew

Ingredients

  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 C kohlrabi, peeled and chopped
  • 2 C broccoli, chopped
  • 1 1/2 C carrots (or sweet potatoes), chopped
  • 1 C cauliflower, chopped
  • 1/2 C potato (or rutabaga), chopped
  • to taste salt
  • 1 t mustard
  • 1 T balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 t dried (or 1 t fresh) thyme
  • pinch cayenne
  • 1 t paprika
  • 1 C garbanzo (or cannellini) beans
  • 4 C water or veggie stock
  • 1 bunch mizuna (or chard, cabbage, kale... any greens will do), long part of stems removed, chopped
  • 1-2 T lemon juice
  • 1/4 C parsley (1 T reserved for topping), chopped
  • ricotta, for topping
  • olive oil, for topping
  • lemon wedges, for topping

Instructions

  1. Heat soup pot, add oil. Add kohlrabi through salt. Cook covered (letting them sweat) over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add mustard through water/stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Add mizuna, lemon juice, and 3 T parsley. Cook for 3 minutes more.
  4. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve topped with ricotta, parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/kohlrabi-stew/

Monday

2

March 2015

0

COMMENTS

Mac and Cheese with Veggies and Beans

Written by , Posted in Beans, Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Legumes, Main Dishes, Pasta, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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Some nights I need something super simple for dinner. Mac and cheese is one of those meals that really hits the spot. It’s comforting, easy to make, and can be packed with veggies and protein.

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Today I had a ton of broccoli on hand. I made “pasta” out of the stems yesterday, but the florets needed to be used up.

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They’re tossed in the skillet, with some olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne for a hint of spice.

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While the broccoli cooks, the sauce comes together (and the pasta boils away). My mission was gluten-free, so I used some ground up flax seeds soaked in milk, and blended chickpeas to thicken. The sauce wasn’t as smooth as I’ve ever had, but it tasted really good.

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Added to the nicely thickened sauce is tons of grated gouda. This cheese is seriously good. I could have eaten that whole block on my own, if I had had crackers on hand. I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t.

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I had bow tie pasta on hand. I’m a use what’s in the house kinda cook. But, if I was making this a second time, I might consider using fusilli or penne pasta (there are some delicious rice pastas out there).

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Everything gets combined then sprinkled with a touch more paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Just for fun. I like to let it stand for 5-10 minutes so everything can get good and set before serving. But, if you can’t wait, I understand.

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This dish would work no matter what veggies are in season. In spring you could use asparagus or snap peas. In the summer you could try summer squash or bell peppers. When fall and winter come back around again, butternut squash, cauliflower, or kohlrabi would be nice. No matter what the veggies are, it’s great on its own. But, I also think that it would be great topped with a fried egg (isn’t everything?!) or with some cooked and chopped meat mixed in (ham, bacon, chicken, turkey, beef… pretty much anything would be tasty).

Happy Eating!

Mac and Cheese with Veggies and Beans

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Mac and Cheese with Veggies and Beans

Ingredients

  • 1 T flax seeds, ground
  • 2 C milk (divided 3 T, then 1 3/4 C plus 1 T)
  • 1/2 C chickpeas (blended) or hummus
  • 1 t dijon mustard
  • 4 oz. pasta (any kind - rice pasta is great)
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 4 C broccoli (or cauliflower, carrots, kohlrabi, asparagus, snap peas, summer squash, bell peppers, or butternut squash)
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • pinch cayenne
  • 1/2 t paprika
  • 1/4 C reserved pasta water
  • 2 C gouda, grated
  • 1/2 C parmesan cheese, grated
  • paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper for sprinkling
  • lemon slices for serving

Instructions

  1. Mix ground flax seeds with milk. Let it stand for 15 minutes (it will get kinda gelatinous).
  2. Heat remaining milk and milk-flax mixture in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add chickpeas/hummus and dijon, stir to combine, and cook for about 5 minutes more.
  3. Cook pasta.
  4. Heat skillet, add olive oil, broccoli salt, pepper, cayenne, and paprika. Cook over medium or medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
  5. Add pasta water to sauce. Remove from heat. Whisk in cheeses. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Stir in pasta and broccoli. Top with a sprinkle of paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
  6. Let stand for about 5-10 minutes. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.

Notes

Prep and cooking time includes active and inactive components.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/mac-and-cheese-with-veggies-and-beans/